


Part III: Emerald Sea

by EisnerBlaiddyd (aryablaiddyd)



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dimileth Week (Fire Emblem), Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd Needs a Hug, F/M, Female My Unit | Byleth, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route Spoilers, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Spoilers, Fluff, Gen, Mentioned Black Eagles Students (Fire Emblem), Mentioned Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem), Mentioned Golden Deer Students (Fire Emblem), Minor Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan, Minor Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Multi, Nice Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Other, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Sad Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Soft Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Spoilers for Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2020-11-02 13:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20758268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aryablaiddyd/pseuds/EisnerBlaiddyd
Summary: With the war over, Dimitri and Byleth along with the rest of the Blue Lions begin to recover and rebuild their relationships either put on hold or almost severed by the torture and strain of the past few years. Slowly, each of them work together in building a better, Unified Kingdom of Fodlan now with a mysterious offer from the Kingdom of Almyra as well.





	1. The Spoils of War Part I

**Author's Note:**

> *ENDGAME SPOILERS* You've been warned. This story follows the ending of the Blue Lions route in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. #Dimileth

The light blinded him as if Sothis herself began descending from the heavens to signify their victory. As he regained his senses, Dimitri was taken aback by the full magnitude of their siege at Enbarr. Fire and blood strewn across torn banners and ruined buildings, bodies piled over the corpses of fallen horses and wyverns. The horror of seeing it all sent his thoughts spiralling back to Duscur. The deafening screams of the dead beginning to ring in his ears, calling out to him, to the goddess, to the gods long forgotten. He shut his eye hard to control himself, tightening his grip over Areadhbar so hard he’s lucky the Hero’s relic can withstand his strength.

His body starts to sway but surprisingly doesn’t fall.

Among the deafening noises, he heard a lone voice.

Calm, serene, laced with worry and panic, standing out of the sea of lamentations. “DIMITRI! DIMITRI!”, the voice rang. “Dimitri, are you alright?" she said.

Again and again, he could hear her calling him, pulling him back until the voices screaming turned out to be triumphant battle cries and cheers. “How badly are you injured?”, the voice said. It somehow sounded closer than before. An odd sense of warmth then suddenly enveloped his armor, causing him to open his eye to the source. It was the Professor, awkwardly holding him by the waist, acting as his crutch and holding his face so close to hers he could see how terrible his reflection looked through her mint eyes. Instinctively, he tried to hold out his arm to place on her shoulder, only to realize he could not move it. As he looked down to his arm, he met her eyes. Her eyes were suddenly all he could see in that moment, peering into the depths of his soul, as if she could see them tormenting him from the inside. Her alabaster skin was smeared by ash and dried blood, but he swears he could see a faint blush starting to form when he started to hear the familiar heavy clunk of footsteps rushing towards him. He was already gripping Areadhbar better until he saw the man coming up to him from the bottom of the staircase.

It was Dedue. He relaxed his grip, taking a breath of relief only to feel a sharp pang. He must have broke a rib or two without noticing earlier.

“Your Highness!!" he frantically exclaimed, witnessing him begin to slump towards the Professor.

"My dear friend, I am glad you are safe." Dimitri said in an exasperated voice, managing a faint smile towards him. It had been a long and difficult battle. He suddenly felt the weight of not only defeating Edelgard but enduring the last few months of endless skirmishes, sleepless nights tormented and demented by the dead. The soon-to-be King does not usually feel exhaustion, but his body now yearns for reprieve. He could feel it in his aching muscles, the laboured effort it took to even breathe normally. His bones were begging to be rested until he looked beyond Dedue's head and towards the vast expanse of Enbarr.

There he witnessed Kingdom soldiers dropping their swords and shields to cheer him on, to help their wounded comrades, and surprisingly, Imperial soldiers. In one fell swoop, the hordes of black and red stopped in motion at the sight of him and the Professor.

The last of the demonic beasts slain motionless across the bloody streets of the Capital. Remaining troops of the Empire stared dumbfounded at the Crown Prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, as if his mere emergence from the palace gates meant their Emperor was as good as dead. The war was over. The Kingdom has won. Blue and silver-strewn banners pierce the sky above them. Sparks of illuminating magic shine around them as mages hurriedly heal the severely wounded.

Beyond the pomp and circumstance, Dimitri felt a weight in his chest. Where were his other friends? He scanned the crowd, avoiding the piles of bodies in fear of finding a familiar face.

It was difficult to see around the jubilation and celebration at first. Several group of soldiers were rushing towards their would-be King. Too soon, he could see nothing but a blur of tarnished azul over gleaming silver splattered by the familiar vermilion of blood. They were all cheering for HIM. He was overwhelmed with their happiness. Too many years have gone by in solitude, nay, in the company of the dead in his head. Dimitri was not accustomed to the love of his people yet, to the love of anybody really. He was so sure of a lonesome, desolate end. Was this a dream? Alas, he was determined to remember living in the present. With the living. For the living. Witnessing the joy and relief in the faces of soldiers who believed in his campaign filled his heart in this moment. People who believed in him— where were the Blue Lions?

Dimitri straightened his back despite the protest of his injuries to see above his men. As if on cue, he saw a flash of ginger on the west, right beyond the rubble of what seemed to be an apothecary’s shop. He began to relax as he saw Annette waving from a good distance assisting Mercedes as she tends to a wounded Ashe, their innocent faces gleaming at their prince, knowing they finally did it.

To the east, he saw Sylvain lifting Dorothea aboard his steed with a large grin on his face. They seemed too preoccupied with each other for his comfort. Those two are trouble.

Chuckling to himself, he saw Felix not far from them wiping the blood off his sabre, blood staining his whole armour, seemingly not his own, and looking towards the sunset. Dimitri could swear he saw him smiling to himself. ‘My dearest friend, I have much to repay you for.’ he thought to himself.

Just as he was about to look for Ingrid, a strong gust of wind blew into the crowd, parting the silver sea of men. There she was, rising from the glint of the sunset, riding her glorious Pegasus in all its frightening beauty bathed in soot and blood. Ingrid threw her broken lance to the side and ran to Dimitri and the Professor, hugging both of them. "Goodness, you two are safe!" she sighed.

Byleth was shocked with how tight Ingrid could hold both of them with her long muscular arms. She had been watching Dimitri this whole time. The crowd, the heat from the embers, the blinding light from the sunset beyond were all silenced around her as she watched him. After her long slumber, she wouldn't let others notice but Byleth allowed herself to appreciate him more. Gone were the days when she had to keep her distance from him as a student and she his professor. They had both grown into each other despite being away from each other for so long. She was worried for him, of how he'll grieve after what happened. They had done their best to save Edelgard. Byleth was thankful her dagger did not give Dimitri a fatal injury, at least physically.

It was the first time she tried to hold his hand this way. The first time she's ever tried to hold someone's hand this way. It felt natural, like a magnetic force willed their hands together. Through years of training as a mercenary, she was thankful she had the strength to shoulder his weight. As usual, Dimitri would be pretending to downgrade his injuries very well. Apart from his stab wound, she could already tell his torso just wasn't quite the right shape as it should be. Besides, he wasn't breathing normally, and he strains upon talking. A few broken ribs, who knows where the blood dripping down his cloak is coming from? She will have to take matters into her own hands later.

Besides, they had much to talk about. Or did they? Sighing to herself, she thought, 'This would have to wait for a while'.

As if sensing her reservation, Dimitri suddenly looked at her from Ingrid's shoulder. He only had one good eye, and yet, it took everything in her not to drown in it. There was a softness to his eye, like so many times when they would be alone under the bright moonlight. Brief moments of clarity when he would open up to her about his sorrows, when they would share an inside joke or two while drinking chamomile tea. She opened her mouth as if to say something she had been yearning to, but stopped herself short.  
  
While they were being crushed by Ingrid, a large force also began crushing them from behind. Looking over her shoulder, she realized it was Sylvain & Dorothea catching up to them.  
  
“I knew we could make it! *Phew*” Sylvain mused. “I can’t believe it’s finally over!” Dorothea almost sang.  
  
Byleth could see Felix trailing behind, lifting Ashe to his feet as Mercedes adjusts the bandages she just placed on him. Annette had her back to them, scanning the rubble until he appeared beside her out of nowhere. Gilbert, the impregnable fortress of a man that he was, appeared unscathed. He looked over to Annette with a faint smile, nodding in her direction, before striding towards Dimitri, note in hand.  
  
“My liege, it would give me no other pleasure than to celebrate our victory. However, an urgent message addressed to you arrived at our camp just outside of Enbarr. We have no indication where it came from.” Gilbert reported.  
  
“A message?” Byleth asked. She met Dimitri’s eyes once again, only this time his gaze hardened.  
  
He cleared his throat and regained his posture as best he could, beginning to address the army. “Everyone, my comrades in arms, friends, I thank all of you for your valiant efforts on this momentous day. This victory is ours! From now on, we will live in a new age of peace in a unified Fodlan. But for now, we shall celebrate with a feast!", he proclaimed. This was met with a thunderous roar from the soldiers as they proceeded to retreat back to camp.  
  
Slowly, the noise began to simmer down, changing the atmosphere to a more solemn note. Most of the Blue Lions left with the army to lead them, except for Felix. He lingered by the back of the army and went back to confront Dimitri who was slowly making his way through some rubble along the palace gardens. The Professor was acting as his crutch. ‘Stupid Boar, always attacking without thinking. It’s a miracle he survived this long.’ he thought to himself.  
  
As he made his way past a burnt and broken carriage, he stopped in his tracks at what he saw.  
  
Dimitri was kneeling on the ground, his right hand clutching the damp, blood-stained soil while his left lay limp on his side. He was shaking. Even from a distance, he could see the Boar shaking. A deep tug in his chest pulled at him. He’s never seen him like this since they were children. Dimitri was leaning on the Professor’s shoulder as she knelt before him as well. He seemed to be...crying? “You fool, what are you crying for?”, he muttered under his breath. He decided to crouch by the carriage to observe them from a distance.  
  
“I couldn’t save her.", he cried out through a stream of tears. Byleth kept stroking his hair, hoping to soothe him down. He collapsed into her then, causing her to sit down as she cradled his grieving form. Dimitri had grown so much while she was away, her arms couldn’t reach around his broad shoulders. With a trembling hand, Byleth brushed his hair away from his face to reveal him crying violently, mumbling incoherently against her armor. Slow and steady, she kept brushing his hair like a mother would a wounded child, hoping to soothe him down. 

Dimitri was engrossed in his sorrow until he could feel such comforting warmth around him. He decided to look up through his tear-filled eye. All he could see was black with flecks of red sprayed over the padded armor. He could feel someone gently brushing away small knots along his hair, gently massaging through his scalp. Nobody's ever done that for him before. He savored the sensation until he looked further up and remembered it was the Professor with him. His eye shot higher up to see her face, his own suddenly feeling hot. They had been walking silently towards camp when he suddenly had an overwhelming sadness come over him. As if the shock of what just transpired in the throne room took the breath out of him. The Professor seemed to be watching him carefully this whole time, wary of how he'll behave lest she stray her eyes away. And here she was now, looking down on him like an angel, eyebrows furrowed with worry, almost tearful as well if he was seeing things right. She kept telling him it was going to be alright now. As her hand motioned to brush his hair again, he grabbed her wrist and held it to his face. He could not help but close his eyes as her soft, fragile hand held his bruised face. Dimitri wished he could melt into her hand, where he felt safe.

Byleth froze. Her ears were unnervingly hot she couldn't hear anything else apart from the pounding. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing was coming out.

Dimitri remembered the night Rodrigue died. He had felt as broken as this before, and she was always there to pull him away from the voices that haunted him. She was his light. By the goddess, it was always her he needed since she came into his life. And she was so close to him now, they were surely alone. He wondered if she could hear his heart hammering so fast he was beginning to feel dizzy. As he opened his eyes to meet her flustered face, he couldn't help but think to himself how adorable she looked right now. Her soft, pink lips were parted, as if inviting his. He thought to himself, 'I wonder how it would feel to--' and before he realized it, he was moving his face closer to hers that he could see nothing else but the shocking emerald sea of her eyes. Their lips a mere inch apart.

Byleth couldn't move, everything was happening so quickly it didn't give her time to think. A second ago, this crying form of a man was rumpled against her and next all she could see was his half opened eye gazing into hers, so close he could feel his warm breath all over her face. She closed her eyes to meet his lips when suddenly a loud crash not far from where they were startled them, waking them from their trance.

Felix fell backward from where he was and accidentally dragged a broken piece of wood with him, sending what remained of the carriage collapsing all over him. 'Dammit! I shouldn't be here' he whispered to himself. He stayed still until he heard the two laughing to themselves. It seems they didn't see him beneath all the mess he made. He wanted to talk to Dimitri after...after everything that had happened. He wasn't ready to be witness to such a sappy scene. And yet, he couldn't tear his eyes away from them earlier. His old friend, whom he has seen work himself to the bone, barely enjoying the days of his youth, losing him for 5 long years only to welcome back the shell of who he once called brother. It was comforting to see him have someone, even if it was the Professor.

Byleth hadn't heard Dimitri laugh as much as he did now since 5 years ago. Both of them were flushed red and sweating when the nearby collapsed carriage brought them to their senses. She had relished the sound of it, his booming baritone piercing straight through her heart. 'What am I doing?' she thought to herself.

"I-I apologize for getting caught up in my emotions. It seems I am not myself right now." Dimitri said. She was still blushing, he observed. "I-I'm sorry I have put you in a position you might not be comfortable with. Please forgive me, Professor."

He straightened himself up and helped the Professor up as well. As he lifted her up, the pain from his wounds came rushing back, as if a reminder that he was in reality right now. He did his best to keep a straight face so as not to make her worry.

But Byleth was busy hearing through the pounding between her ears as she felt his strong, muscular,albeit wounded, arms carry her tiny body. "N-no, I wasn't uncomfortable. Just surprised." she said.

"You must be disappointed in me. How can one such as me be truly King when I fall so easily over you such as I did now." he jested. Byleth, unsure whether she should read between the lines at what he just said simply smiled at him and told him, "You have never disappointed me, Dimitri." And just like that, he felt a warm wave swell within his chest. She always knew what to say to him. "I-I thank you, Professor. I still do not think I am deserving of such kindness, and yet your words have always guided me in the right path. Come, now. We must read the mysterious message together, and then celebrate our hard-earned victory."

Byleth simply nodded at him, preventing herself from uttering more foolish things. They made their way towards the camp then, taking their time through Enbarr as the sunset shined low over the buildings. Dimitri peeked to his side, stopping himself from gazing too hard at how beautiful her mint hair shown in the sunlight. What was he thinking making a move at her like that?! It was not the time, not when he appeared so weak before her. He wasn't even sure he deserved the privilege to do so.

Dimitri heaved a long sigh and winced, forgetting his torso injuries. Byleth came to his aid immediately.

"Dimitri, we must bring you to the infirmary before anything else. Let me help you." she commanded. He had focused too much on her soft pout to even hear what she said. The five years have been a terrible blur to him. Piles of bodies, targets to be taken, lives to be avenged. Including hers. To her, she was only gone a short while, and yet she had been different to him since she reappeared. Gentler. With more emotions he hopes nobody else has born witness to. Such selfishness is a crime. He yielded and let her help him walk the rest of the way back to camp then.

Stealthy as he was, a trailing Felix quietly followed them to the sound of what would seem to be an endless night of celebration.


	2. The Spoils of War Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the year 1185, the forces of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus combined with those of the newly dissolved Leicester Alliance and the Knights of Seiros capture Enbarr to end the 5-year war. Their victory ushered a new era of peace and prosperity to all of Fodlan. The following events take place immediately after the final battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ENDGAME SPOILERS* You've been warned.

Manuela, Linhardt and Marianne had been in charge of the large makeshift infirmary just outside the gates of Enbarr. Byleth would have asked them to help with Dimitri if not for the sight of them sprawled over the remaining vacant cots. “It’s alright, Professor. I can manage on my own. There are others who are far more in need of help. Besides, it seems our healers are exhausted as it is.” Dimitri quietly said.

“That won’t do. It seems I will have to do it. But there aren’t any cots left. Can we go to your tent instead? You’ll need rest quickly after.” Byleth said.

Dimitri felt his cheeks redden as he cleared his throat before answering, “I am truly fine, just a few days’ rest will do me well.”

“You’re limping. Let me help you. Come.” Byleth insisted as she rushed out of the infirmary.

Dimitri had no choice but to trail after her. Thank the goddess his tent was only a short distance from the infirmary. His feet were beginning to feel like lead being pulled down by the soil. Maybe he was more exhausted than he thought. As Dimitri parted the flap of canvas to his tent, the Professor was in a flurry preparing materials by his bedside. He was beginning to lose the energy to talk so he sat down on the corner of his cot, beginning to remove his gloves, then his greaves and cuisses. He reached towards his shoulders to remove his cloak when a sharp pain made him wince hard enough for the Professor to stop in her tracks.

“Here, let me do that for you.” she said. Byleth unclasped the heavy fur coat and let it rest by a nearby chair. She proceeded to remove his breastplate as well as the rest of his upper body armour while Dimitri quietly watched her work her way around him. Her hair lightly brushed against his nose and he could still smell the faint traces of lavender and lilies. ‘She smells like spring’, he thought. Without thinking about it, his head was leaning gently towards hers when it suddenly hit his cheek so hard he almost fell back. Byleth was apparently about to pull away his armour away only to cause more damage to his beautiful face.

“I’m sorry, I’m not usually clumsy.” she apologized as his armor fell to the ground with a loud thump. “It’s fine, Professor. It’s quite unlike you to be apologetic.” Dimitri gave her a faint smile in hopes of having her smile back at him, only to feel puzzled at her expression. She appeared dumbstruck staring at his chest.

“What is it?” Dimitri asked as he followed her gaze. A piece of wood, probably from a broken lance, was firmly embedded on his left lower chest this whole time. Every breath he took contributed to a steady trickle of fresh blood soaking his undershirt.

“Ah. I see.” Dimitri frowned. He had forgotten all about it. Some soldier had surprised him earlier in a desperate attempt to save his own life. He had snapped away the rest of the lance to avoid further hemorrhage. It seems the soldier got him good, Dimitri was suddenly acutely aware the object pierced him through and through. He looked at Byleth who was too focused on the object, it was starting to make the silence awkward. After a few more seconds, Dimitri broke the silence. “Um. Maybe we should wait for Mercedes to help. I’ll be fine.” he said.

As if woken up from her trance, she looked at him with sharpened eyes. “No. I will do it. This will hurt, so grab onto something.” she firmly said. “I’ve had injuries like this before, I can handle it” Dimitri chuckled nervously as he gripped the edges of the cot. He hadn’t. It seemed too close for comfort to his heart. “You shouldn’t let yourself be injured like this, Dimitri.” Byleth scolded him.

“I swear to you, Professor. It wasn’t done on purpose. Perhaps I should train some more with y——ARGH!” he screamed in agony as she swiftly pulled the large shard away. Dimitri’s vision started to blur as he gripped his cot so hard the edges were about to snap with his strength. The Professor’s hand was firmly covering the gaping hole where blood was spurting all over her armor. A warm, white light shone from her palm, and Dimitri could feel the edges of the wound and his organs pulling and pushing against each other. He groaned in pain and grit through his teeth for what felt like an eternity to him. He could almost feel his consciousness slipping when the Professor suddenly broke his concentration. “There.” she sighed. He opened his eye to see her face sweating and paler than usual, drops of blood staining her cheeks and forehead.

“Professor—“, he started to wipe away the blood from her face. “I’m sorry,” she cut him off. “I had to do it while you were distracted to lessen the pain, it seems I didn’t do a very good job. I’ve reinforced the wound, however, you shouldn’t be fighting anyone anytime soon.” she said in an exasperated voice.

“Professor, I can’t thank you enough. I-I never fully apologized to you, since you’ve come back. Though I am deeply ashamed of my actions for the years, know that I will make it up to all of you for the rest of my life. All of you deserve as much, believing in me even when I was pushing all of you away. You, most of all. After going on for so long without you, without Dedue for a good part as well, I couldn’t bear to be myself anymore. The day you died—disappeared, I-I kept looking for you among the dead, beneath the rubble—” he winced at the memory, clenching his fist hard.

Byleth held her index finger to his trembling lips. “Shh. I should be the one to apologize, Dimitri. We made a wish, together, in the Goddess Tower, and I broke it. I intend to keep that promise.” she smiled at him.

“Wh-wh—“ Dimitri blushed at his foolish whim back then. He could feel his cheeks start to warm again. He had stopped wiping away the blood and slowly reached out for her free hand. “There is no need to apologize, Professor. You are here now. Perhaps, you will stay by my side for good now?” he smiled back at her.

Byleth felt her whole face turn red. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling back at him, knowing how much it took for him to become the Dimitri she once knew in the Academy.

“Your smile truly is beautiful, Professor. For a while there, I thought I had forgotten how your face looked like since you disappeared. I hope the goddess can forgive me if only to let me see your mesmerizing smile again and again in this lifetime.” he confessed.

Before Byleth could come up with a coherent response, Dedue startled the both of them by the tent entrance. “Are you hurt, My Highness? We heard a loud noise coming from here.”, he said. Deducing from the way their bodies were position, he let out a loud “OH.” Dedue looked away, “I didn’t realize you were here, Professor. I apologize for intruding.” Just then, a sly Sylvain looked over Dedue’s shoulder to see what the commotion was about. What he saw before him was Dimitri in his underclothes with the Professor leaning towards him sitting on the edge of her chair.

“Getting cozy there, are we? Whoops. Did we catch you two at a bad time?” Sylvain winked. Felix opened the rest of the flap on his side and rolled his eyes.

“We’ve been looking for the two of you. We’re curious what the message holds.” Ingrid said, gesturing to the solitary cylinder placed ominously on Dimitri’s makeshift desk.

Dimitri shifted his position, noticing how he was breathing better now. He walked to his wooden screen, changing his blood-soaked shirt to a more comfortable one. “I agree. Come, everyone.” gesturing towards his desk.

In a drunken stupor, Sylvain lounged lazily on the cot beside an annoyed Felix. “Do we have to do this now?” He slurred followed by a hiccup.

“If it was sent all the way here, without the knowledge of whether we make it or not, it must be really important.” Mercedes said as she entered the tent. The scroll was kept in a cylindrical container bound by what appeared to be silk woven with mysterious drawings. The scroll itself was made of an unusual type of paper smelling faintly of pine needles.

“Pine. Hmm. Could this be from Fraldarius territory?” Ingrid questioned.

“No. My father’s retainer would have given the message through me. Things have settled down in my territory as far as I know. Besides, there’s an odd scent mixed with it. Something not native to my land.” Felix said as a-matter-of-factly.

“Smells like Frankincense. Something must be brewing in Almyra”, Cyril declared.

“Agh! Where did you come from?!” Sylvain muttered. Cyril only rolled his eyes at him.

The glint of gold caught the lampfire from the bottom of the container. “Look, the bracelet Claude gave me before. I wonder when he stole that back from me.” Byleth noted. “Huh. Odd. Why would they send me a message like this?” Dimitri muttered, trying to ignore the fact that Claude gave her a gift.

“Oh, just open it! Then we’ll figure out what to do.” Annette exclaimed.

He obliged, carefully unrolling the delicate parchment. His eyes quickly darting to the bottom of the page to identify from whom it came from. “The Royal Almyran seal is here. It seems to be from one called, “The Barbarossa”. What could that mean?” Dimitri questioned.

“Back in our homeland, a Barbarossa is an exceptional wyvern master skilled with bows. While our most of our people are warriors, such a title is given only to a select few, probably one or two only as I recall. If the Royal seal is there, could it be from the famed Nader?” Cyril answered.

“Hmm. It’s an invitation.” Byleth commented, reading the rest of the letter so everyone could understand.

“_On behalf of the Royal Family of Almyra, we congratulate the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus for successfully ending the war in Fodlan. We have been watching your progress very closely. In light of this, we wish to invite the Crown Prince, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, to our capital in order to personally congratulate the future King of Fodlan and discuss the future of our two lands, together. We understand there is much to be done in your war-ravaged lands. However, we urge to meet with you, and the Fell Star, regarding a certain war fugitive who has escaped through Fodlan’s throat. We have captured and detained him for now. Because he seems to be a valuable asset to your country, we assume it is in your best interest to attend to this matter immediately as well. _

_The Barbarossa_”

“Excuse me, Your Highness. But it does not seem wise to go to Almyra without adequate protection. I highly suggest we go with you, for your own safety.” Ingrid sternly commented.

“A trip to Almyra? Count me in! I’m rather interested in how different Almyran women are.” Sylvain winked at Ingrid. Right on cue, Dorothea slapped the back of Sylvain’s head so hard it almost snapped him sober. “Taking a little trip without me, my dear?” she teased. Sylvain scratched his head, grinning mischievously at Dorothea. Ingrid simply chuckled to herself beside them, finally relieved somebody else would get Sylvain’s act together.

“A Fodlanese fugitive in Almyra? Could it be Claude?” Byleth said.

“It must be. Now what did he get himself into.” Dimitri shook his head. "It seems there are loose ends we must tend to. We shall head out for Almyra at the break of dawn, Professor." Dimitri declared.

This took everyone aback.

"But Dimitri, you haven't even recovered yet. Surely the Almyrans will understand how important your health and safety is to us." Mercedes frowned.

"You can't just leave your kingdom like that, boar. How do you expect the people to handle your departure in the state the country's in?" Felix said.

"Wait. Dimitri's right." The Professor simply said. Dimitri nodded in her direction, thankful for the support.

"With the fall of Enbarr, there is surely too much work left to do in Fodlan. I understand the urgency of this letter, and if my instinct tells me right, we'll be needing the support of the Almyrans in the foreseeable future of Fodlan. It is not often we get a proper letter from their people, more so their Royal Family. I wish to begin my reign with peace through acceptance. This is an invitation I cannot refuse. I trust all of you are eager to return to your territories as well, given how much the war has taken its toll on all of us. Please, lend me your strength by helping your territories recuperate from the ravages of war first. I believe they will be needing the guidance of each and every one of you as the soon to be heads of your respective houses. I will keep in touch through letters and return as soon as I can. Tomorrow, we shall have a meeting together with the others to delegate tasks between the Alliance & Empire territories. Dedue, please make sure a message is sent for Ferdinand, Lorenz, Hilda & Petra to return from their mission at once." Dimitri instructed.

"As you wish, your Majesty." Dedue bowed making a mental note.

"I know this is much to deal with. However, I urge everyone to take this in after a night's rest... And, there's one more thing I wish to discuss with all of you tonight. I-I didn't have the proper chance to thank all of you earlier, including Ashe. There is so much to be said, and yet, I cannot find enough words to thank all of you for joining my campaign. I-I was blinded by my thirst for vengeance, dwelled too much in my past that-that it almost cost your lives, and the lives of your loved ones." Dimitri looked at Felix but he decided to look away. "I understand no words can make up for what has transpired in the last few months, years even, so I promise to make it up to all of you for the remainder of my life. Not only through flowery words, but also through my deeds once I become King. I will work hard from now on so all of you can call me your friend, once again. Even when I am King, it is my fervent wish to the goddess that we can still be as how we were back in the Academy. Again, I truly am sorry, everyone." Dimitri breathed a heavy sigh to himself.

"Dimitri..." Byleth muttered.

"Your--, no, Dimitri, you have always been our friend through it all. We'll all do our work to help the people." Mercedes beamed.

"Mercedes is right. You've gone through so much, we understand you completely. We will do our best to help the Kingdom get back on its feet!" Ingrid exclaimed.

"We definitely got your back." Sylvain chipped in.

"You better not waste our efforts this time, boar." Felix spat.

Dimitri smiled at him. Any response from Felix was enough, for now. "I am truly blessed to have all of you with me. Well now, we must partake in our hard-earned victory. Please, let us all join in the festivities by the campfire." Everyone cheered and accompanied Dimitri towards the growing crowd gathering by the fire. The sound of laughter and singing filled the air. Soldiers, mages and commoners coming together to sing praises of the heroes of the war. Sylvain basically dragged Dimitri to the center of it, to whom people gave a big cheers to. Dimitri let himself drown in the happiness around him, then. He did not reject any attempt of Sylvain to put more alcohol in his system, it actually helped with the pain he felt from his minor battle wounds. Not very long into the night, he was singing along with Mercedes and Annie to a song he couldn't remember now even if he tried his best to. The evening was becoming a blur to him, he definitely had too much to drink. And yet...he searched the crowd for her. He could swear she had been talking to Dorothea a second ago, and now she was gone. Drunk but anxious, he scanned the outskirts of the crowd, fumbling over passed out soldiers by their tables. 'Where could she be? I want to share this victory together.' he thought to himself. 

Dimitri kept stumbling, his whole world was beginning to spin so hard it was a miracle he was still moving the way he did. He began calling out quietly to her in the dark, by the direction of the barracks until he saw them on an empty space between tents. She was holding someone in her arms, hugging someone he couldn't distinguish at first. He squinted his eye to see better, only to realize it was Felix holding her back. Dimitri was so confused with what he was seeing he starting stumbling towards them, startling the two.

"What are you doing here? You're drunk. Look at yourself." Felix said. "Dimitri, that's enough drinking. You need to rest." Byleth scolded him. "But why were you two---", Dimitri started mumbling until he suddenly vomited on the ground and collapsed right after. He struggled to keep his eye open but could only see the silhouette of Felix standing over him, speaking as if through a veil, "Ugh. Just look at him. Guess I'll have to carry you back myself."

Dimitri struggled to mutter something incomprehensibly back, unsure whether he'll remember the details of the night. What he does not look forward to is the headache he'll definitely have after blacking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to start on a little side story before what happens in the Goddess Tower, hoping to fill in the time before the true ending of the BL route. Enjoy! Feel free to comment on improvements below!


	3. Through Sea & Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri receives a letter from Almyra asking for his audience and judgement towards a war fugitive as the would-be King of the Unified Kingdom of Fodlan. He takes a short trip alone with Byleth by the request of the Almyrans, disguised as travelers.

_Blank, grey eyes stared back at Dimitri as he woke up from his stupor. Dimitri jolted to his feet. It was Fleche, the girl who tried to kill him. She was motionless with a pool of blood spreading under her. He reached out to her lifeless corpse, trembling at the sight of her until a figure fell down beside him. It was Glenn, reaching out to him. _

_“DIMITRI!” he cried out to him. Glenn was so close and yet he couldn’t grasp him. One by one, people he loved, who died before him, were corpses if not dying men laying by his feet. And the blood, its deathly calm rise as the bodies piled stopped him from moving elsewhere.  
_

_“My…. son…what happened to my boy?” King Lambert groaned as he laid on top of Fleche, neck almost completely severed. He stared in horror at the sight of him again like that.  
_

_“FATHER, NO!” Dimitri screamed.  
_

_A deafening, high-pitched laugh suddenly filled the void, as if mocking his misery._

_“You cannot be King when you keep acting like a child, Dimitri. Sacrifices must be made for the good of the people.”, she said. _

_That voice. He knew that voice. It sent a deep chill down his spine. _

_He slowly turned around and there she was. It was her, Edelgard. Blood dripping from her mouth, she was standing on top of the pile, holding onto Aymr to keep herself steady, revealing the gaping hole on her chest Dimitri left her with.  
_

_“Did you think I would be defeated so easily?!” Edelgad snided.  
_

_ “N-no, Edelgard. You misunderstand me, please. Listen to me. It doesn’t have to be this way!” Dimitri reasoned with her.  
_

_“I will not hesitate to take your life. I will do everything in my power to crush anyone who stands in my way!” Edelgard screamed at him, laughing hysterically after with eyes filled with hatred.  
_

_Dimitri froze. He knew that look, of sheer violence, the thirst for blood, the animosity of it all. By the goddess, she almost sounded like him.   
_

_“Edelgard, let me save you. Please….El.” Dimitri pleaded. But she was too quick to hear his words, swinging Aymr at his head. _

_The last image he saw was Edelgard’s purple irises reflecting all the burning dead in Duscur inside them._

Dimitri gasped for air as he awoke with a cold sweat.

It was a nightmare. Only a nightmare. Another nightmare.

* * *

He was back in his tent. He couldn’t move yet. However, the familiar sturdy fabric of his cot supporting his back reassured him. Dimitri tried to steady his breathing, focusing on the steady rise and fall of his chest. His undershirt was soaked with sweat, how long had he been like this again?

It took a few minutes for him to recover. But as soon as he was able to move, he groaned in protest with the headache that followed.

‘Oh. Right’ he muttered to himself. Everything last night were fragments in his memories. He remembered Manuela managing to charm several of his wounded senior officers, Annette hoarding the sweet rations, Sylvain and Dorothea giggling like children hiding behind a tent. He did not do too well last night, but his men were happy. It had been more than enough for him.

“To brighter days, I hope.”, he sighed to himself.

Instead of donning his war armor, he decided the forego with an ivory silk shirt beneath a cobalt wool overcoat hemmed with gold and grey trousers. As he fastened the Blue Lion brooch to his breast pocket, he thought to himself, ‘It’s been a while since I’ve worn anything else. I almost feel naked.’ Just as he finished preparing himself for the day, a loud voice called out to him from outside.

“Dimitri! Have you woken? The sun has already risen quite a while now. There is much to be done!” Ferdinand exclaimed.

Dimitri was surprised. Ferdinand can surely rival his own dedication to training if he weren’t more focused on politics and the nobility. Even so, he will need his guidance in dealing with the Empire territories. He took a deep breath before answering to him by the tent entrance.

Most of the morning was spent in haste. The leaders of the house at Enbarr had a chance to raise their immediate concerns in their respective territories for everyone to convene & agree on the best possible action. While Dimitri was soon to be King, he was glad each and every one of them helped each other. It had taken him a while, but now he could see how mature everyone in his class became because of the war. Even Bernadetta von Varley was voicing out the concerns of her people. He and the Professor only needed to settle the final word. He was trying to hold back his own smile seeing the glint in the Professor’s eyes, a restrained sense of pride at her former students. She really was more charming with more life in her eyes.

Dedue quietly cleared his throat to break his Majesty’s concentration from the Professor. Dimitri nodded gently at his most trusted friend as thanks.

Everyone promised to send reports to him as soon as he arrives in Alymra. Dimitri pushed against the table to breathe a heavy sigh as he concluded the meeting. Dedue was immediately at his side, discussing the preparations of his departure to Almyra.

Byleth soon followed once she received flowers from Ferdinand. He wanted to congratulate and thank her better, but time was of the essence and he understood much was needed to restore the new United Kingdom of Fodlan. Edelgard had left the entire country in shambles and he knew exactly where to begin.

“The fastest way for both of you to get to Almyra will be to fly. We’ve settled arrangements with Holst as well, he will give you no trouble passing through Fodlan's throat. Mercedes packed light for the both of you.” Dedue said.

“Thank you, Dedue. Efficient as ever. It’s a miracle you got this much work done in one night. Did you enjoy the festivities last night?” Dimitri asked, averting his eye away from the flowers. 

“Yes.” Dedue blushed.

She had been smelling the collection of chrysanthemums, forget-me-nots and delphiniums wrapped around a pure white Gladiolus. 'Ferdinand always has impeccable taste' she thought to herself until she heard the exchange between the two.

Byleth tilted her head, curious but chose not to dwell on it for now. Her eyes stayed on Dimitri who was probably about to ask the same question she wanted to and interrupted him, “Are you feeling better?”

“Oh.” Now it was Dimitri’s turn to blush. “Yes. Just a mild headache. Thank you for asking, my friend.” he said.

“Good. Shall we?” Byleth gestured to her mighty pegasus, Boreas, casting a shadow behind them.

“Very well.” Dimitri nodded. He securely wrapped the blade of Areadhbar and strapped the weapon to his back. They were taking precautions not to reveal himself before arriving at the Almyran royal palace.

Byleth had opted to wear an ebony twill shirt under her mercenary cloak with chestnut knee-high boots over walnut jodhpurs. She rode up front while Dimitri sat on her back, awkwardly holding the edges of the saddle. Before he could properly wave goodbye to the circling crowd, Boreas already galloped to the air leaving the rest of the party into mere spots in the distance.

In just a few minutes, the city of Enbarr was smaller than the palm of Dimitri’s hand. He was having a hard time balancing with the stronger wind now, and Byleth could tell with him fidgeting behind her.

“Hold me.” She calmly ordered through the whistle of the wind.

Dimitri was surprised “P-professor?” he asked. Then realized the edges of the saddle was starting to break with his strong grip.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I shall have another one made for you once we return.”, he apologized as he placed his hands awkwardly on her hips. She adjusted his hands to lie firmly across her belly. He didn’t want to crush her by gripping too tight. Instead, he decided to wrap his long arms around her, inching himself much closer to her, and gently placed his chin on top of her head. She hadn’t complained at the gesture, and he couldn’t help but appreciate the comfort of their position, holding her in his arms like this. To feel her warm and alive, the gentle rise and fall of her chest in sync with his was more calming than he thought it would be. He tried focusing on other things at first but found himself searching for a reaction from her and tried to look down. She was hiding her face from him, but he could see the shift in shade of her cheeks.

'It seems I'm going to like this trip after all' he thought to himself.

* * *

He looked onward then, appreciating the southern coast of Aegir territory spreading before their very eyes.

The beaches were untouched by the ravages of war. Byleth hadn’t seen many beaches in her lifetime, and so did Dimitri. The soft yellow of the sand against the deepening shades of blue of the sea captivated the both of them. She had the initiative to dip down for a bit and glide over the calm waters, outpacing the school of flying fish and dolphins as they sped through the sea. Dimitri saw his opportunity. He removed his glove and stretched his long arm towards the gentle waves Boreas’ wings were making on the surface of the water. He cupped a cold handful of saltwater and threw it in the direction of Byleth. She looked back at him with surprise, the small droplets of water dripping from her hair strands, casting off the sun’s reflection against her now sharp mint eyes. He leaned back, raised his hands in surrender but couldn’t hold back a chuckle. She looked adorable from his point of view, as if her face was coming closer to his the longer he stared at it.

‘Wait. She was coming closer. Too close. Wait!’ He thought in panic. Dimitri was about to speak when in one swift motion, the next thing he saw was the sky above, the flash of white that was Boreas’ braided mane, and when he looked back there was an unassuming seagull flying low about to shoulder his fall. Dimitri hit the cold water with a loud ‘THUD’. It had been a while since the last time he went swimming. He inspected the waters first in search of the seagull. It was nowhere to be found & must have escaped. The sea was immaculately calm. Holding his breath, he watched as the corals below held a variety of species of fish he’s never seen before.

‘Look at them, living in peace...If only my life could be as simple.’ he thought to himself as he closed his eyes. The sting of seawater was catching up to him, but more importantly, the voices didn’t seem to bother him here. He could be alone in his thoughts for once. What an uncanny relief. Just then, a sudden gush of bubbles went rippling near him. He was about to open his eyes to see what it was when he felt two lean arms pull him up by the shoulders to the surface. Once he opened his eyes, the arms that held him disappeared into the water. Thankfully the water was as clear as glass to let him see it was the Professor getting dragged down by her cloak. He was able to swim quickly to her and pull her up to the surface as well.

“Here, let me take this from you. It’s too heavy to wear.” Dimitri said as he unclasped the cloak from her body and swung it over his shoulder while holding her with his free arm.

“It seems I get to save you this time, my friend.” He said, brushing away the sea green hair covering her eyes.

She was still coughing violently from swallowing too much water to even speak. When she tried to open her eyes, Byleth couldn’t hold the shock seeing Dimitri this way. He was grinning widely at her, long blonde hair pushed back, his left eye gazing softly and...he must have lost his eyepatch in the fall. He was closing his right eye to hide it from her, but she could see the faint sheen of a jagged scar over the eyelid. She could tell he hadn’t completely lost the eye, but who knows what’s behind the thin layer of skin covering it. Nevertheless, he was still handsome, especially when he was relaxed this way.

“You stayed down there for so long, I thought you were drowning. I felt bad for pushing you, so I jumped.” Byleth confessed, almost breathless.

“On the contrary, I rather appreciate it. I haven’t bathed in the sea before. It feels...refreshing to say the least. Anyway, I should be the one to apologize first, I had been foolish enough to start this.” Dimitri smiled. The longer they stayed like this, the more he was aware of how thin the fabric of their clothes were. He gulped and cleared his throat. “Forgive me. We should get back on Boreas before we catch a cold. Almyra is still a long way from here.”

Byleth nodded, looking up at her pegasus hovering overhead to avoid staring at the outline of Dimitri’s muscles beneath his soaked shirt. He doesn’t wear white as far as she remembered, but it suited him perfectly. She whistled for her pegasus to glide down enough to reach the edge of the saddle. Dimitri had pulled the both of them up Boreas in one swift pull, causing him to whinny in alarm at the imbalance the movement caused for him. Dimitri immediately searched for a suitable shirt and coat for Byleth as she dried her hair.

“Here. I’ll cover you with the coat to let you change in privacy.” he said. Byleth appreciated the gesture and swiftly changed shirts so Dimitri could change into a fresh shirt as well. Their pants would have to dry on the trip in this situation.

“We should reach Fodlan’s Throat before night falls. I cannot vouch for the safety of Hrym territory, and it would not do well for us to be flying in the dark.” he analyzed.

* * *

And they sped off away from the sunset in the west. The winds were kind to them that day. They reached Fodlan’s Throat safely and decided to settle in the thick of a dense forest by the bottom of a mountain.

Byleth quickly picked up fallen branches strewn on the ground while Dimitri fed apples to Boreas. He was gently patting him for managing to take them this far so quickly when he noticed Byleth slow her pace to a stop by a nearby oak tree.

“Did you want to switch campsites?” he asked, approaching her. She seemed lost in her own thoughts for a brief second but quickly recovered to respond to him.

“Ah, yes. You’re right.” she mumbled. Byleth dropped the branches at her feet and quickly pivoted away from him.

‘Have I done something wrong?’ Dimitri thought to himself. He decided to help her collect bigger pieces of wood while keeping her in his view. She seemed distracted all of a sudden. Once they were able to start a fire, they sat together in silence.

For a while, the crackle of the firewood and the occasional rustle of the wind against the trees was the only sound that could be heard. He had went on for a while thinking to himself and now he observed her with curiosity. The flames were dancing on her irises, as if they were attracted to her as much as he was. Dimitri hadn't realized how long he had been staring, until Byleth suddenly looked back at him.

"Is there something wrong?" he quietly asked.

"I was thinking of father. How we used to travel the woods together like this." Byleth confessed.

Dimitri kicked himself mentally. Of course Jeralt's death would still be relatively new to her.

"Jeralt was a good man. I'm still sorry I couldn't do more at the time. For what it's worth, I know he would be very proud of the woman you've become. You are the hero of Fodlan now, after all." Dimitri chided.

"You are too, you know" she said, smiling sadly at him and then looking back to the fire.

"I know how you must feel. I cannot tell how long it took before I could be myself again after Duscur. And yet, I was never quite the same really." he said.

"I couldn't do anything about it, either. I have the power of the goddess and yet, I couldn't stop Kronya from hurting him. It seems the goddess didn't hear my wish to her." she said, hoping to stir a reaction from Sothis within. She had been longing to figure out her next steps knowing she will be the archbishop of a religion she hadn't known about until she arrived at Garreg Mach. As expected, there was nothing. It really was up to her. She breathed a heavy sigh, as if already exhausted by the idea of being archbishop.

Dimitri misunderstood her. "Well, now. I believe there is still hope for the rest of my wish. I can't begin to tell you how shattered I--we were when we found out you were dead and missing. We couldn't even give you a proper burial. It tortured me to think of you lying somewhere we cannot reach you. We--I was lost without you." he had said with a strained voice. He was clenching his fists just by the memory of the last few years.

Byleth gently placed her hand over his. "I'm sorry. Sothis must have saved me from the fall. Even I didn't know where my body went for those 5 years. It seemed time stood still for me alone. Don't worry, I plan to stay with you now." she reassured him.

When Dimitri looked back at her, his eye seemed to be welling up. "Please don't leave me again." he pleaded as he held her hand to his face. Tears gently trickled down his cheeks as he closed his eyes to her touch. Byleth couldn't help but look at the eyepatch.

"I won't, Dimitri. Tell me, what happened here." she gently ran her thumb over the patch, wary of his response.

"I was injured right after escaping from Fhirdiad. I was alone then, so I couldn't ask for help when it happened. At the time, I was still the beast consumed by revenge that providing a solution for it was never a priority. The scar has healed well now, I believe." he said.

"May I see it?" she gently asked permission.

Dimitri was nervous. He was afraid of how different she would look at him once she sees the monster he has become now. But there was no escaping who he was now. Part of him also knew, somehow, that she and she alone would accept him no matter what. He slowly removed his eyepatch and looked hard at her now blank eyes with his good eye. Slowly, he opened his other eye, acutely aware of how she'll react to it. To be honest, he had only seen how it looked once in front of a broken mirror of an abandoned house he passed by.

Between the scarred lids, she didn't know why she expected a hollow cavity with scar tissue when it turned out to be the complete opposite. His eyeball was still there, but his iris was ruined by a jagged starburst of opaque gray.

"Can you still see in this eye?" she asked curiously.

"Light and shadows, that is all. It's quite distracting in contrast to my better eye so much so that I chose to rely on it more." Dimitri confessed.

"Maybe we can still do something about it. Why don't you show it to Manuela?" she wondered aloud.

"I have. She says it's beyond her capabilities as far as medicine in Fodlan is concerned. She promised to do some research into it with Marianne, however, I wouldn't place false hopes on it. This scar has become an important reminder of the person I must not become again." Dimitri dismissively said.

'Maybe there is hope for it yet.' Byleth pondered. She was thinking back to her own research when Dimitri broke her concentration.

"I must seem like a horrible wretch to you now. But I hope you still see the truth in me. After Rodrigue, I finally realized what I must do...And again, I apologize for hurting you back then." he said, looking down at her tiny hands.

"That's not...You were hurting so much too." she said in an odd voice Dimitri couldn't place it until he met her eyes again. It was, for a fraction of a second, breaking.

"Come now, my friend. I'm better now I have you by my side once again. As long as we are together--Goodness, look what I've done. I simply cannot have you crying tears of sorrow for the sake of someone like me." Dimitri said as he took her hands and wrapped it around him.

He held her to his chest gently, and she had eagerly readjusted her position to hold him tightly. Her grip was quite strong enough around his torso at first that it almost took the wind out of him, pushing his back against the crevice of the tree behind them. She pressed her cheek against his chest and its warmth gave the most incredible sensation for him. Nobody else had held him like this before. He could feel his heart beating like a raging bull, he had begun to worry if she could hear it as well.

'Oh, goddess. What am I doing?' he thought to himself. 'Why do I gravitate towards her this much? At first, I summed it up to her natural charm like with so many others. I have spoken so foolishly around her, wanting to be by her side....forever.' How selfish and unbecoming of a house leader he had thought himself to be at the time. And yet, he couldn't shake away this feeling towards her now. It especially hurts him to think of her being away from him.

Dimitri became engrossed in his own self-inspection that once he decided to speak to her about it, she had begun to fall asleep from the exhaustion. He smiled at the sight of her peacefully slumbering in his arms, and how he would love to see her like this again and again to the end of time.

"It seems I truly am a lost cause, aren't I, Professor?" he whispered mockingly to himself.

Making sure she was asleep, he gently brushed some hair away from her face and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. He didn't know what came over him, but it had felt like the right thing to do.

Dimitri leaned his head back, feeling the exhaustion grip him as well. Tomorrow was a new day, and they had hoped to reach Alymra before the nightfall.

'What will the east bring to us this time?' Dimitri thought as his consciousness drifted off to the night.


	4. Respite at Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri and Byleth find peace in their brief rest within a forest at Fodlan's Throat. What ensues is an opportunity for them to deal with issues troubling them since her return after the 5-year slumber.

**_“Lub dub...lub dub...lub dub...lub dub”_**  
  
A slow, steady string of heartbeats stirred Byleth awake.  
  
‘Is it...could it be mine?’ she thought. Startled, she placed her hand on her chest only to be disappointed with the simple rise and fall of her breathing chest. It was then she realized the heartbeat was Dimitri’s, soundly sleeping against the oak tree.  
  
Remembering the evening before, she sunk back to him. It was comforting for her to be held this way, a completely new experience to her. Byleth concentrated on the smooth curvature of his long neck, giving rise to his toned chest she could already see the edges of a scar peeking by the first undone button on his shirt. Dimitri easily towered over her more now, and she could easily get lost between his even broader shoulders. Quite a man he really has become, she mused to herself. Just then, she became acutely aware of what was pushing against her hip. Blushing at the absurdity of her thought, she slowly removed herself from his loose grip and tidied herself near the sleeping pegasus.  
  
It was almost dawn, but she was always used to waking up too early. Mercedes had packed them food. Too many pastries and not enough meat. She stealthily took the bow and arrows from the luggage, & began striding towards the stirring bushes when suddenly—  
  
“Where are you going?” Dimitri groggily asked. He was a light sleeper despite needing rest.  
  
“Hunting for breakfast.” Byleth quipped. ‘How long has he been awake?’, she thought to herself.  
  
“Let me join you, then.“ he said, preventing himself from reacting to the strain of standing up from an uncomfortable sleeping position.  
  
“I can do it on my own, don’t worry.” Byleth dismissed, disappearing in between the trees.  
  
‘Quite nimble for the morning.’ Dimitri thought to himself. He followed her direction at a more relaxed pace. His strides covered twice the distance her did, so he expected to reach her soon enough.  
  
In just a few seconds, he found her crouched over a large rock drawing the bow from her sheath slowly. For a moment, he watched her curiously in the shadow of a birch tree. She behaved quite differently here than in the monastery, as if he’s discovering a completely different side of her.  
  
A couple of pheasants were making their way across their line of sight. Byleth struck the unassuming fowl near her, giving it a quick death as the head of the arrow hit its head. Just as she relaxed from her position, there was a loud whoosh that whizzed past her left shoulder. Following the sound, the escaping comrades of the pheasant she just caught was suddenly trapped and dead as well against a tree. Byleth followed where the javelin had come from and saw Dimitri casually leaning on a tree behind her.  
  
He smiled at her. “As I recall, having only one would not be enough for your appetite.”, he mused.  
  
She blushed at the sight of him. He was smiling so often, she had missed Dimitri this way. He even seemed comfortable with her without his eyepatch. "You slept well?” She asked.  
  
“Yes. I didn’t even have a nightmare last night. How comforting.” He realized.  
  
“Good. Breakfast, then.” She smiled back, causing him to linger too long at her radiant face in the sunlight. For the past year, they had both been preoccupied with the rest of the world, it seemed for a while, that now they were graced with time alone together everything was put into perspective. Dimitri couldn’t help himself.  
  
“You know, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anyone as beautiful under the sunlight as you do now.” He remarked, careful with his words. Seeing her blush in shock at his compliment was enough. Part of him wanted to wait for what she’ll say next, although there was also a part of him that feared he might be too forward. He had remembered, despite the haze brought by alcohol, seeing Felix holding her the night before they left for Almyra. If there was something going on between them he had overlooked for the past year, is it too late for him to finally come forward with her?  
  
Before she could speak, he suddenly laughed to himself. “Dawn is upon us. Let me try making breakfast for us, we have a long day ahead after all.” Dimitri excused himself by picking up the pheasants and walking quickly back to their campsite.  
  
She stood there in the clearing, partly frozen at what happened. It didn't happen often, but somehow Dimitri always caught her off guard.  
  
She followed him back to their campsite, noticing how long his hair had gotten, the edges touching his broad, muscular shoulders. Even without his armor, he towered over everyone else now. His slow strides couldn't hide his limp. His wounds were still recovering, she'd have to check on them soon enough.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" he quietly asked as Byleth caught up to him.  
  
"Hmm. The Future." she half-lied.Simply confessing she was thinking about him was out of the question.  
  
"Is that so? What about the future?" he prodded as he quickly plucked the feathers upon settling by the firewood.  
  
"Of Fodlan. I worry how we'll put the kingdom together again. Being a professor is one thing, an archbishop is another. I feel i'm not worthy to lead a whole religion." she confessed.  
  
"Now that we're faced with the reality of the present we once thought so far away in the future, I must agree. It makes me both anxious and determined to see the world I have long envisioned come to fruition. But I know you will make a fine Archbishop. You have always led not only the Blue Lions, but also our forces in the war, so effortlessly." he declared.  
  
"That was war. This is out of my expertise." she replied, staring at the half-cooked naked meat being consumed by the gentle fire before them.  
  
"That may be so, but I have faith in your abilities. I think the Church of Seiros may very well be in need of a change in authority, the kind your unique perspective can offer." he suggested.  
  
She had nodded absently at him, seemingly unconvinced by his word. Her mind suddenly seemed far away from him, and he had been intent to keep her attention for this rare opportunity to be alone with her.  
  
"Speaking of the future, I know Felix has always lauded your prowess in the battlefield even back to our days in the Academy. It's only that i've seen you talking privately with him. But, correct me if i'm wrong, has he--have you and he come together now?" he inquired.  
  
She simply tilted her head, confused by his line of questioning.  
  
"A-are you with Felix now, Professor? Do not worry, I am simply asking as his friend, knowing he can be so stubborn and indirect with his feelings." he flustered.  
  
It took a few seconds for her to reply. The precious moments before she finally answered back had been excruciating for him. He focused intently on the minute changes in her facial expression, from blank to confused, eyebrows furrowed and lips pouted as if contemplating how she would answer him. Then, her eyebrows relaxed and her lips parted as if to finally say something, then he realized she began to laugh at his question.  
  
"No, there isn't anything going on between me and Felix. He's come to be my good friend." she chided.  
  
"But, has he confessed his feelings for you?" Dimitri pressed.  
  
"His mind is torn between two other people, Dimitri." she confirmed. "The other night, he had been asking for my advice. I'm not an expert in such things, but I did offer him some guidance as best as I can."  
  
Dimitri flushed even more, completely relieved on the inside. "Oh. I see. Forgive me for prying on the two of you. It truly was an accident."  
  
"You were inebriated. I was sure you wouldn't remember it in the state you were in. But if you ask me, you'll find out seen enough what Felix was torn about. He was concerned about you too, going on this trip." she explained.  
  
"Is that so?" he invited for her to go on.  
  
"Felix has always cared dearly for you. Despite his tough bravado, his intentions have always been for the good of all of us." she speculated.  
  
"So it is. I must make it up to him once I return to Faerghus. I feel responsible for making him lose his father." he replied.  
  
"I'm sure you'll make amends with him soon enough" she nodded.  
  
"I will work hard for it." he hoped. A long silence followed as they tore away at the well-roasted pheasants.  
  
"Tell me, Professor. Have you ever been with anyone before?" Dimitri asked.  
  
Byleth almost choked on the strip of meat she just consumed, flushing red at the question.  
  
"A fellow mercenary before?" Dimitri prodded. By this time they forgot to eat altogether.  
  
"Well, uh, no. Never." she confessed, feeling her whole body start to warm up from embarrassment.  
  
"Is that so? I would imagine we nobles seem foolish and naive compared to your comrades. I was sure they would be the sort of men to be more forward especially with your charm and beauty." he remarked, acting nonchalant.  
  
"Ah." she blushed coyly. "No. Nothing of the sort. I wasn't interested in any of that...before."  
  
"Huh. Before, then. So there is somebody?" his voice raised a little too high, raising his eyebrows at her.  
  
"Hmm. I'm not sure of what I feel. There's been so much going on." she dismissed. Byleth feeling nonexistent walls closing in on her. There were no distractions between them right now apart from Boreas still sleeping soundly nearby.  
  
Dimitri was suddenly preoccupied with his own thoughts, thinking of who the man could be. If not Felix, was it Ferdinand? He could at least have had an idea if it was Dedue or Ashe, much more Sylvain. She hasn't had time with Claude lately, really. However he was the only one to really dance with her all those years ago. He had taken an opportunity away from him, which he has regretted terribly since.  
  
Byleth took a deep breath and started "If it makes any difference, it's--"  
  
But Dimitri interrupted her. "Forgive me. I don't mean to cause you undue distress. I'm simply curious someone could catch your attention in--in that manner. You don't have to tell me who it is, i'm sure i'll find out eventually." he smiled, strained.  
  
"No, it's fine. I'm comfortable around you." she replied, reaching out for his arm.  
  
"I must confess that I feel the same way. I...have never had someone to be with like I have with you, Professor." his eyes lowered to her reaching hand. He had caught it with his free hand, the other leaning against the wild grass that lay under them. Byleth caught her breath at his touch, despite how cold it felt, she longed for his touch to linger on her skin. She held his hand instead, happy he wasn't wearing gloves this time.  
  
"Dimitri, you can call me Byleth, you know." she remarked softly. "And I..." her voiced quivered lasting for what felt like an eternity.  
  
"I have always...had feelings for you." she quietly confessed, staring at his face intensely, nervous of how he would react. She couldn't bring herself to tell him the 'other' word, afraid it would be too much to give away right now. Her head was pounding, and she began to feel dizzy, the world around her blurring. Dimitri was the only one crisp in her view. She was paying attention to every detail of his face, every faint trace of a scar, the gentle grooves and fine lines across his deep-set and tired eyes, the abrupt transition of pale skin to the outlines of his well-defined lips.   
  
His eyes widened. He sat there slack-jawed, quite un-princely of him to do so. He gripped her hand tightly, almost injuring her. His heart was suddenly beating faster than a racehorse on his best run.  
  
"O-ow." she winced, breaking her attention away from his shocked face. "W-well, it must seem silly--", she began to say to the ground, embarrassed quite frankly at herself. 'What have you done?' she scolded herself.  
  
Suddenly, a shadow came into her view, and as she began to look back up, regrettably, to Dimitri. His face was all too close to hers, and coming in too fast. Their foreheads accidentally bumped into each other.  
  
"AGH!" she exclaimed, rubbing her forehead. Of course his skull would be tough as nails to her.  
  
"Forgive me!" Dimitri blushed, unfazed by the collision. "I've never done this before." he said, full of guilt over his face.  
  
"What were you doing?" she asked, still rubbing her forehead, sure there might be a mark appearing on it soon.  
  
Dimitri took her face with his hands and looked all over her face as he composed and drew a determined, deep sigh. "Oh, Byleth." he exhaled as he leaned closer again to her, this time careful to tilt his head, adjusting to reach his lips to hers.  
  
Byleth sat frozen as she saw Dimitri with his eyes looking down on her forehead, eyes, cheeks and lastly to her lips, closing the gap between them.  
  
The next thing she knew, his thin, soft lips were brushing against hers ever so gently. He was waiting for her. Waiting for her to agree with what they have both been yearning for. She could feel his shaky, warm breath against her face and it sent shivers down her spine and butterflies in her stomach for him to be this close to her. Closing her eyes, she responded to him by what only felt natural. She pressed her lips hard against his, holding his chiseled jawline with her other hand.  
  
Dimitri couldn't believe what he was feeling. The warmth that spread from their kiss spread to his heart, to his stomach, to every tip of his being. He had imagined kissing her before, but no dream could have prepared him for the reality of his experience right now. He had never felt anything so pure and utterly breathtaking as her lips. His hand shifted to the small of her back, almost crushing her closer to him. She gently parted ever so lightly from him, face flustered.  
  
"Dimit-" she began to speak but was stopped by Dimitri slowly sucking on her lower lip. She caught her breath at the gesture, the butterflies practically begging to break free from her stomach. Byleth was feeling her head spin even more if it was possible as she attempted to respond to his lips the same way. She had never kissed anyone before, and never would have imagined Dimitri would be the first man who would kiss her.  
  
Dimitri lost his train of thought, barely hearing Byleth try to talk to him earlier. He was intoxicated by the overwhelming smell of her, the scent of lavender, of the sea trapped within her locks. He had been transfixed by the sight of her plump, pink lips inviting him to go on. He wanted her. He had always wanted her this way. He cursed himself that he couldn't taste her lips, knowing how good it already felt to kiss her, his mind wandered to the memories of sweet berries, wondering if they would do her justice. At first, he felt her hesitating and worried if he had done too much. But now she was pushing towards him, a different fire in her strength, her lips tugging passionately at his. She was following his lead, testing the uncharted waters.  
  
He responded back, parting his lips to trace her lower lip with his tongue. She shuddered at the sensation, shyly opening hers and letting him in. He tasted wonderful, causing her to roll her eyes back at the pleasure, her body melting for him. Her hand shifted to grab his gorgeous golden hair and pull him closer to her. It sent him frantically kissing her with more fervor, eyebrows furrowing with determination, his hand crumpling the fabric by the small of her back.  
  
It felt like everything had stopped around them. For a moment, they had forgotten about everything else. It was only them together in a quiet forest. The worries of the world disappeared to allow them this chance, for them to finally pour their hearts out to each other without any exchange of words.  
  
They continued for quite a bit until Byleth could feel herself unable to breath between kisses. She gently pushed against his chest to coax him to take pause. He leaned back ever so gently, rubbing his nose against her cheek, apparently out of breath as well. Dimitri slowly opened his eyes to meet hers, so close to his it felt like he was about to drown in an emerald sea. Her eyes were dilated so much he could see how dilated his own were. He was drunk. Drunk with all the sensations he felt while kissing her. It was his first time, and, he believed, it was also her first. It had seemed so perfect his body was begging for more, never wanting to feel anything else but the elation of this moment.  
  
"You're incredible." he crooned, gazing deeply into her eyes.  
  
"You-you took my breath away." she said, exasperated.  
  
"Have I? Truly?" he said wistfully as he cupped her face in his hand, bringing her whole face into better view. Her lips were flushed redder than before, making them more beautiful and enticing to him. In fact her whole face was blushing. It made him more amused as he quicky stole her lips once more.  
  
It had sent her dizzy again. "Yes. I've never kissed anyone before." she confessed at the handsome man now gazing softly at her.  
  
"Forgive me for being so bold. I couldn't help myself when you confessed. Byleth, goddess, just saying your name sends me over. I-i've had feelings for you, too. As you can see." he chuckled softly. "I can't fully express to you how much joy it brings me to finally say this, and to hear you might take interest in a man such as myself." Dimitri confessed, his eyes glistening almost tearfully.  
  
"How couldn't I?" she said, gently kissing the scar on his bad eye. He shuddered at the sensation, holding her closer.  
  
"You're always full of surprises, aren't you?" he laughed to himself. "Since when did you--?" he trailed off, looking quizzically at her.  
  
It was her turn to laugh now. It always sounded like a beautiful melody to his ears. He would never tire of hearing it, after being deprived for so long. She suddenly pushed harder against his chest and stood up, walking towards Boreas who was watching them curiously this whole time.  
  
"P--Byleth!" he called to her, confused and amused at the same time. Catching her hand, causing her to almost fall towards him, he says "We just--I meant it when I asked you never to leave me again. Where do you think you're going?" he jested.  
  
"We have business to attend to. The Almyrans are waiting." she teased, prying away from his grasp and leaping towards Boreas' back. Really, she couldn't stop herself from blushing so hard at what had transpired.  
  
Dimitri easily caught up, picking up his eyepatch before placing himself in front of her. She was right, but this conversation was definitely not over. "Allow me to lead this time." he commanded, looking behind at her, his authoritative tone surprising.  
  
She fell quiet at that, sliding her hands around his chiseled waist just in time for them to leap from the vast expanse of climbing greenery to the sun-streaked world of clouds above. Looking down, Byleth mused at the anonymity of the clearing they had just left. Such a small, simple patch between the trees held the most beautiful memory of her life for now. This precious place, seemingly an oasis for the chaos of their lives, will probably be lost to time, never to be returned to again. Only in their memories. She took a deep breath and rested her cheek on the space between his scapulae.  
  
"I will always treasure this memory of ours. I won't let you down from now on. You are and always will be precious to me...Byleth." Dimitri declared.  
  
She held him closer. Despite being the only person she could open up to, he always took her breath way with his words. She would have to do better in the future, she thought to herself.  
  
The rest of the trip came swiftly. By mid-afternoon, they began to see the transition of the landscape from tall, imposing mountains to a lush and different type of forest eventually leading to a vast expanse of desert in the far beyond. They had only begun to outline what would appear as golden structures built together when a group of wyverns caught up to them.  
  
Before Dimitri could tense himself with Areadhbar, Nader spoke loudly to him.  
  
"Greetings, Your Majesty and-er, Your Grace! We have been waiting for your arrival. Kindly follow me, for your safety." he called out to them.  
  
Dimitri duly followed his order, slowing Boreas' pace to trail Nader's wyvern. They surrounded Boreas in a diamond formation to provide better protection. Despite Claude's defense for his people, he still confessed before that Almyrans are naturally very hostile to Fodlanese. Although thankfully, the people of Almyra had been too preoccupied with the affairs of their daily lives to ever notice the formation of wyverns and a pegasus speeding by above them.  
  
Both Byleth and Dimitri stared in awe at what they could only deduce as the Almyran capital city. The construction of their buildings alone were already completely different from Fodlan. Color. Such vibrant colors strewn across rows and rows of tiled houses, some with beautiful spires beaming out of them. You could feel the life of the city, hearing the clamor and bustle of the people down below. Almyra was beautifully different from Fodlan.  
  
Once they reached a large balcony to what would seem to be the royal palace, surprisingly wide enough for a few wyverns to land on, Dimitri and Byleth climbed down to follow Nader as he strode quickly to open a pair of large wooden doors, beautifully carved with depictions of Almyran scenes, probably important moments in their kingdom's history, which Dimitri and Byleth were surely not familiar with. Breathless, the three of them entered a wide room with a long oval mahogany table in the center. Large paintings adorned the walls of the tall room, bathed in the sunset that streamed through the wide windows from behind.  
  
Before Byleth could pore over the paintings, Nader's voiced boomed towards the end of the room.  
  
"They're here." he simply announced.  
  
A man had apparently been standing at the other end, as if waiting for their arrival. He was seemingly admiring the tapestry of the Almyran coat of arms hanging by the head of the table. Adorned in a garb appearing like royalty, he swiftly turned around and immediately caught sight of his guests.  
  
"And just in the nick of time, like clockwork. You two sure are soft suckers for me, huh?" he chuckled and winked at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies this took a while. I've been busy the past week! Hope you enjoy this fluff!


	5. Moonlight Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri and Byleth are welcomed to Almyra by their mysterious friend. And with the evening settling down comes the pull of the moon, bringing to light longing words of the heart.

_“It is a beauteous evening, calm and free,_

_The holy time is quiet as a Nun_

_Breathless with adoration; the broad sun_

_Is sinking down in its tranquility; "_

_ \- William Wordsworth _

* * *

The smell of smoked meat filled the air. Cornucopias of gathered varieties of fruit, both known and unknown to her, lay before them. The faint warmth emanating from the soup gently caressing her face, still untouched. Byleth had been admiring the view beyond the stained window panels. Somehow, you were partially obscured from fully viewing and being seen by the city beyond, and yet the shades chosen for these glass panels complemented the unspoken motif of the city perfectly. The sunset’s rays of yellow, orange with dashes of deep blue and purple bringing life to what appeared to be a hidden masterpiece sitting in this very room.

For a good minute or so, she had drowned out the voices of the men in the room. They were barely an hour from arriving in this beautiful, foreign city and she already felt exhausted.

“You can drink that. Don’t worry, the wine isn’t laced with poison. We already checked.” Nader whispered to her as he gestured towards the goblet near her, breaking her concentration.

“Oh, it’s not that. I was admiring the view.” Byleth commented.

“Mmm. Appreciate craftsmanship, do we? Well, part of these windows have been reconstructed after a couple of er-incidents with the previous members of the royal family." he said.

"I still can't believe you would do something like this!" Dimitri shouted towards Claude, interrupting their little chat.

Upon their arrival at the palace, Claude had been waiting for them. Part of them initially assumed he was held captive by the Almyrans. Claude von Riegan, former head of the Leicester Alliance, was the Barbarossa addressed in the letter and was also the Crown Prince of Almyra. Byleth basically rolled her eyes at her little Golden Deer. Even if she chose to teach the Blue Lions, Claude always found a way to sneakily spend time with her. He always seemed devious and untrustworthy to others, but he always meant well for the good of Fodlan. Like her, he knew how it felt to be an outsider in a society where everyone had their place already.

When Dimitri put two and two together, things had gotten a little, physical. His eyes darkened and he had slammed Claude against the tapestry he had been staring at. Claude could have easily evaded him but chose to quickly explain why he needed to talk to them immediately, deep in the heart of Almyra.

"As the future kings of the two kingdoms, and the future archbishop of the main religion of Fodlan, it was crucial for us to meet before anything else after the war in Fodlan. I knew you were going to conquer Enbarr soon after Derdriu, so I flew here to prepare myself to claim my rightful place. I've been settling things with my old man and he agrees with my plans for Almyra and Fodlan. I just needed the both of you to personally come here so you'll appreciate how Almyra truly is, not the barbaric people the other nobles think of us." he explained.

Dimitri understood his sentiments, but he couldn't get over the fact that Claude had to deceive them to come here. He would have done it, trick or not. Both he and Byleth were exhausted from months of training, planning, fighting for their lives, and they had traveled here without fail. They proceeded to argue further when Claude jested it was the perfect time for them to take a break in a foreign land, where nobody knew them, while they settled the affairs of their country together.

They went on arguing and wrestling for a while. Byleth felt the grip of exhaustion and decided to chat with Nader instead of breaking them apart. As Claude tried to pry open Dimitri's eyepatch, they seemed like two unlikely brothers having a petty fight, not two future kings. Nader decided to call on dinner while the boys were at it. Byleth looked like she needed proper sustenance.

As Dimitri begun shouting at Claude again, Byleth's quietly powerful voice pierced through the room.

"Enough, let's eat. It's been a long day." she said, tiredly smiling at the both of them.

Both of them stared at her, removing their grasp from each other. Dimitri huffed while shaking his head from side to side, ending the argument with "You can't keep doing this, Claude. We have bigger responsibilities as true leaders now."

Claude stifled a laugh. "Okay, okay. A thousand apologies, your princeliness." he raised his hands in surrender. "Please help yourselves to the best of my country. I'm hoping I can steal the both of you away for a couple of days to go over our plans together." he said, taking a sip of the wine.

Dimitri stayed silent, practically stabbing the seared meat before him. Byleth simply nodded at him. They shared a look that Nader caught from the corner of his eye. She must be the woman Claude's been talking about. Interesting character, he thought.

"I've already had your rooms prepared for your stay. My parents are away on an expedition, unfortunately. I would have loved to introduce them to you immediately had they not decided to take a little lovers' trip outside the borders. Not Fodlan, mind you. So we'll have the place for ourselves and you guys can relax in between our meetings. Besides, I really want you to understand our culture and our people." he declared.

"Very well, then. But we cannot stay for more than a few days. Fhirdiad needs me." Dimitri replied.

"Of course. We can arrange for your departure when the time comes as well. I've instructed our stable keeper to tend to Boreas for now." Claude replied.

"Thank you." Byleth said as she smiled at him. Claude winked back at her. She was even lovelier than he remembered.

'Ah, this is dangerous.' he thought. He had been meaning to talk to her after so long. The truth is he's also been quite exhausted navigating through Almyran politics in time for their campaign at Enbarr.

"So..." Claude attempted to begin again by the end of the meal. "How's everyone back in Fodlan?" he asked.

"They have all traveled back to their respective territories for now. I've asked them to send me reports in order for me to evaluate their respective needs. I imagine the old Empire territories will need further support and restructuring with regards to governance. Ferdinand has volunteered to help. But--ah, as for the Alliance, Lorenz has taken it upon himself to work with the other Golden Deer to work on areas afflicted by the war for now. While Fhirdiad is my home, I will need to decide soon on where we'll truly begin as a unified Kingdom." Dimitri curtly reported.

Claude was waiting for him to talk about Edelgard as well, but Teach had signaled for him not to press on when Dimitri was busy rambling. Another time, then.

"I should probably stop by when things have settled over here." Claude wondered aloud.

"Part of you will still be of House Riegan. I'm sure your unique insight will be most valuable as we restructure Fodlan." he offered back. He would need all the help he could get. Personally, he wasn't prepared to rule all of Fodlan, more so in its current state.

"Is that a compliment, Dimitri?" Claude chuckled. "Ah, maybe it wouldn't hurt to put in a word here and there. Sure. I'll think about it." he pondered for a second."First things first. You two probably need some rest. I know I do. Why don't I lead you to your quarters?" he proposed.

They both nodded. Once they were in the hallway, Byleth took notice of the rows of paintings lining the corridor. Portraits of what she could only think of as Almyran royalty, from kings and queens, sometimes whole royal families even. She looked eagerly forward to look for Claude or his parents until they reached the end of the corridor. Claude had been silently observing her, watching her silently stare in awe at them, and Dimitri had been watching the two of them closely from the back.

"We haven't had ours made yet, if that's what you're wondering." he commented. "I suppose we wanted to wait for me to ascend the throne and grow a handsome beard so i'll look even better. It's an Almyran thing." Claude joked.

Byleth smiled at that. "You look better with it." she complimented.

Claude raised his eyebrows to Dimitri. "Well, would you look at that. I never took you as the type to like bearded men, Teach. I guess I must be lucky." he gloated.

'This again.' Dimitri thought to himself as he rolled his eyes.

"Is this my room?" Byleth asked, pointing to the door on the left. There were three double doors arranged in a half-circle before them. Each one had unique ornate carvings on them, again, depictions of Almyran history, a singular scene in each of them with indecipherable text tracing the outline of the borders. She reached out and traced the shape of a curious mask as Claude placed a hand on the small of her back.

"Ah, no. That's Dimitri's. Yours is on the left. I personally saw to it that your rooms be the best of Almyran hospitality. " Claude winked at the both of them.

"Is that so? Well, I don't require much so I can't imagine what you've done to mine." Dimitri raised his eyebrow at Claude, skeptical both of his words and that hand.

"Ah, it's not really much but you'll see. Just go in, Dimitri. And don't tell Hilda i've actually fussed all over you two this much, or i'll never hear the end of it!" he called out to him as he guided Byleth to the other side of the hallway.

Dimitri shrugged and opened the door to a vast moonlit room. A large desk with stacks of paper lay in front of the ridiculously large bed that already looked too soft for him. A soft, gentle scent wafted all over the room. 'Is that Chamomile?' he thought, absently mounting Areadhbar on the weapons rack by the wall. The lightly draped curtains gently billowed to the humid wind, inviting him to explore the rest of the room. Dimitri stepped outside to a wide balcony space acting as a training ground. A few dummies and a target board with a large mat in the middle. He smiled to himself at how thoughtful the room had been setup.

"You think you're the only one who couldn't sleep well at Garreg Mach? I know you can't resist training until your limbs give out." a voice called from behind him. Claude leaned by the door with a smirk on his face. "Look down." he ordered.

Dimitri followed and was surprised with a wide field of tall grass. A few stallions were being boarded back to a stable down below, but otherwise the field seemed sufficient for a horde to gallop around. He can already imagine gazing at them in the morning as they scour the vast expanse before them,

"I must admit, i'm impressed. If I didn't know better, i'd say you were attracted to me." Dimitri joked, smirking back at him.

"Hey now! Don't you start making that face. It only works on the ladies." Claude laughed nervously. "Besides, I thought we were at least able to share a deep, lasting friendship from our days in Garreg Mach. I'm glad you made it through, dark hiatus and all. Though I do give you this, you got me pretty good back at Gronder Field."

"Ah, forgive me." Dimitri apologized. "Not just for Gronder Field, but everything before that. If things had gone better in Fhirdiad, I could have helped you earlier. The war wouldn't have taken such a turn."

"No. Edelgard probably planned everything way ahead of us. We were distracted. We were still students for gods' sake. That woman never knew when to stop, did she?" he replied shaking his head, then caught himself. Did he hit a nerve?

"Yes, she didn't." he curtly replied, looking up at the moon.

They both fell silent for a while. A moment for their fallen friend.

Claude broke the silence. "Are you ready to lead Fodlan?" he quietly asked.

Dimitri heaved a deep sigh, "No. I can't even fathom how much there needs to be done in Faerghus. I've abandoned my people for so long. Now that I am to be king, I must rule to the others as well. But I know with the unification of Fodlan, we can create a better world through acceptance without the need for senseless suffering. How about you...to Almyra?"

Claude gave him a pat on his back. "Oof. Well, my homeland is a different puzzle to crack. I'm sure i'll figure it out when I get there. We'll make it happen, won't we Dimitri?"

"Yes. We must. Our people deserve as much." he affirmed, looking towards the horizon. Fodlan seeming like a world away now. A home and horror his whole life, and yet he couldn't even see it from the dark now.

Claude looked at him solemnly then. His classmate, now his friend, went through more suffering than anybody else in this war, he thought to himself. He truly was glad Dimitri made it out of the war.

Making a move back towards the door, he told him, "Hey, Dimitri. Come with me early tomorrow morning before we start the day. I've got something planned for you."

Dimitri looked behind him absently, lost in thought. "Do you trust me?" Claude asked.

He remained silent for a few seconds, looked back towards the moon and finally answered, "Yes."

With that, Claude quietly locked the door behind him. Dimitri dug his face in his hands and threw his eyepatch to the ground. He headed to what appeared to be the bathroom door.

Dimitri stared at the rectangular tub by the corner of the over-sized room. Suddenly feeling the exhaustion of the day, he lazily stripped himself of his clothing. There were neatly folded garbs by the dresser behind him, but he paid no mind to how they looked for now. His attention was fixed at the cold bath before him. Dimitri had always naturally averted himself from the heat. Being accustomed to the frigid weather in Fhirdiad, he appreciated the almost frozen embrace of the pool around him. He leaned his head back and sunk his long body deeper into the tub up to his neck, losing himself to his thoughts, barely noticing the mess he made as gentle ripples of water overflowed to the ornate tiles below.

Claude had roughly tackled on Almyran politics while they argued earlier. It seemed overwhelming at first, but he was determined to open the doors of Fodlan. The older generation of Almyrans also harbor hatred towards them after years of conflict. With Claude soon to be at the Almyran helm, it could make all the difference. Despite his antics and schemes, he was a man with good intentions.

He tried to lift his left shoulder, which still felt tight and quite sore from where Edelgard stabbed him. He couldn't help but think of her again, of the future the three of them could have had. A long time ago, being house leader alone felt like an enormous responsibility on their shoulders. Leading fellow classmates to better paths had already proven difficult if not for the guidance of the professors and...and Byleth.

He sighed deeply. The feeling of her lips still lingered on his. He had lost all sensibility at the moment she confessed to him. Part of him felt like he should have waited a little more to explore what they have for each other, but it had felt so perfect then. She was perfect. He smiled to himself, barely able to contain the giddiness he was feeling inside. Feeling like a young boy with a crush, it seemed so easy. Too easy, even.

Five years have passed. It was different now, both in a good and a bad way. The years certainly haven't been kind to him, and the years ahead will be much, much different from now on. Ever since Duscur, his life hadn't been what you would call normal, for a noble at least. Revenge had been his only purpose. Life seems disorienting now, at times. He glanced at his reflection by the nearby full-sized mirror. He looked terrible. How could Byleth even begin to look his way when he was like this. And his eye, if he knew he'd make it this far, he wouldn't have been as foolish.

Frustrated, he sunk deeper into the water, eager to drown away the dark thoughts. So many people gone from his life. He let out his breath underwater, watching the bubbles gently rise to the surface. He shouldn't dwell on this, he kept repeating to himself. The water was so peaceful inside. All he concentrated on was the hum of the water running distantly, constantly ebbing and flowing around him. Dimitri stayed submerged until his lungs hurt and couldn't stand the lack of oxygen anymore.

With a soft gasp, he rose back to the dimly lit bathroom, adorned with beautiful hand-crafted tiles. Incredibly fascinating compared to gray, stony walls in Fhirdiad. There's so much for him to see, and he's still so young. He wondered if he would ever have the luxury of exploring lands beyond Fodlan and Almyra. Once he finished, he stood up from the bath and barely inspected the garments they had prepared for him, only wearing the linen pants which went perfect with the temperature.

Dimitri lay down on the overly-downed bed. It was too soft from what he was used to, but it soothed his gnawing back pain very well. He stared at the mural on the ceiling as he attempted to fall asleep. Even in the poorly lit room, he had been thinking there was something familiar with the face on the wall when he suddenly started drifting off to slumber.

A couple of knocks startled him awake.

He looked toward the door.

Another, softer knock.

He groggily got up and opened the door. It was Byleth. He swept his hair back to have a better look at her. She was wearing a full length silk robe and-- Is that a nightgown? he thought. Dimitri was hoping she couldn't see him blush at the thought of it.

"Good evening." he huskily greeted her.

"I was wondering if you were awake. It seems i've disturbed you. I'm sorry, i'll go back to my quarters now." she dismissively said.

Dimitri reached out for her wrist as she walked away and pulled her closer. "Ah, no. It's alright. Was there something on your mind?" he asked.

"Just, about earlier." she simply replied, looking down.

"What do you mean earli--Oh. OH. Well, would you like to sit down with me inside then?" he gestured to the room, suddenly realizing he was almost naked in front of her. "Let me find some proper clothes, forgive me." blushing even harder.

Byleth had been trying to avert her eyes from his chiseled build. Of course it was hard to really look away, considering how he towered over her. She did fall asleep immediately after a quick bath, but she had awoke all of a sudden. She couldn't remember her dream, or nightmare. Only an unsettling feeling in her gut. She tried to sleep again, but remained restless until she could no longer stand it.

She took her robe and sat down at the ledge of her balcony overlooking the city, deep in slumber by now. She could see the desert from here. A strange place but beautiful place, she thought. The courtyard below had a vast collection of unique species of trees. She reminded herself to drop by before they leave. The greenery reminded her of their kiss, of Dimitri's body pressing against her, taking in the warmth of his breath, his hands that held her firmly, caressing her neck and cheek. She shuddered at her thoughts, wondering if he's also awake at this hour. Hence, her brief decision to knock on his door.

Dimitri cleared his throat, sitting across from her at the tea table. "You seem distraught. Is there something wrong?" he inquired.

"No, I don't think so. I suddenly woke up and wondered if you were awake as well." she said, pausing for a second. "I've been thinking about you." she confessed.

"You've also been on my mind." he said, lowering his eyes. "I must admit, part of me now understands why Sylvain decided to become a philanderer." he tried to joke. "But, ah! I do not mean to be the same as him. Please do not misunderstand my words. It is simply, what I am trying to say is that, it was a pleasure." he flustered.

She smiled apologetically at him. "Have you always felt the same?" she quietly asked.

"I...I have always been captivated by you, since the moment we first met. And then, as I knew more about you, you unfolded to me like a rare flower i've never known before. Absolutely...mysterious and unnervingly beautiful. You understand me so well, even when--especially when I am at my most difficult. I cannot imagine how different my life would have been if you had not come with us back to Garreg Mach. I suppose I have Alois to thank for that." he explained. He could see her blushing against the sliver of moonlight casting on her face. My goddess, she was even lovelier under the moon.

"Yes, that damned Alois." she laughed to herself. Dimitri reached out to the short distance between them and held her face with his hand, caressing her soft cheek. She nuzzled against it satisfyingly, holding his hand closer.

"Were there others? Are there? Forgive me for asking. I merely ask such frivolous questions from a person who has never had a future to promise to someone. Now that I am faced by the realm of possibilities of the future, my mind cannot fully grasp how I must go on. I honestly do not know if I am worthy of your affection." he said.

Byleth looked into his soft, searching eyes. They are looking for answers, knowing very well the truth in hers. She stood up, walking towards the entrance to his balcony, her robe, slightly too wide for her small frame, falling ever so lightly to the edges of her shoulders. She looked beyond, much like him earlier. Dimitri watched her every movement, gazing at her toned legs against the silken embrace of her robe. The way the fabric clung to her frame, exposing her shoulders. She was becoming effortlessly seductive to him.

But he is eager to find out her answer, before anything. He followed her, carefully leaning towards the other side of the entrance, pretending to admire the now seemingly empty view before them. They were only avoiding looking too much at each other.

"You realize how difficult it is for me to trust someone." she simply stated. He waited.

"Wanting someone in this world hadn't seemed like a priority to me." she went on. "Having friends alone proved scary, how easily they could be taken away from me by the war. As a professor, it was hard to see my best pupils struggle in a war they shouldn't have to face yet. As a friend, it was harder for me to think that at anytime I could lose someone in an instant. I kept my distance from everyone at first, careful not to pour too much of myself to anyone." she paused.

"But I couldn't help giving myself to you." she softly spoke. "Only you, Dimitri. You must know that." 

He bridged the gap to her then, placing his hand just above her head. She was adorably small. His other hand smoothly made its way to the small of her back, the fabric essentially gliding over his skin, over her skin. Leaning his head down close to hers and tilting his head, he invited her to kiss him again. And she obliged. Dropping the robe around her before she crossed her arms around his neck, Dimitri saw how little her nightgown covered her skin. Tracing the soft angles of her collarbones to not enough lace covering her breasts, he struggled to focus on simply kissing her.

The meek hello of their lips to the warm embrace of their tongues brought a soft moan to escape from her lips between kisses. He slid his hand down the back of her bare thighs, taking his time to wait for her to stop him, and swiftly lifting her to his waist, pushing her against the door. He felt a hitch on his side but ignored it. They kissed even more passionately, hands exploring each other, Dimitri gently planting kisses to her cheek, grazing her ear, softly brushing his lips over her neck. It made her shudder a little, tightening her legs around him. She angled herself to plant kisses on his neck back. He could feel the faint sensation of her nipples harden against his chest. He bit his lip, unable to control how hard it made him back, feeling her soft mound against his didn't make it easier. She felt herself getting warmer between her legs, her fingers pressing hard against his muscled back. He lifted her higher, feeling a burn against his side ebbing, anchoring her neck with his other hand, guiding them slowly towards the bed. He gently let her down on the bed, watching the sheets gently fold over her flushed face, the hem of her nightgown dangerously lifted up, baring most of her thighs.

Dimitri mistakenly leaned down first with his bad arm, causing him to wince and fall to the other side. Byleth snapped out of her state and reflexively reached out to his arm.

"You're not fully healed yet. I'm sorry, you shouldn't strain yourself." she apologized, blushing as she propped herself sideways with her other arm.

"Forgive me for ruining the moment." Dimitri chuckled. "But I suppose we might be getting ahead of ourselves." he murmured, gently brushing her hair back to kiss her again. He gently rolled to his back and shifted her so she would lie on top of him. As much as he'd like to continue exploring her, his body was a broken vessel right now. He silently cursed himself.

She smiled against his kisses. "DO you prefer bearded men?" he curiously asked.

The laugh that escaped her lips was magnetically infectious, he eventually joined in at the absurdity of his question.

"I suppose we should rest now." she said, jokingly avoiding the question.

She carefully chose her next few words. "Can I stay here for the night?" she quietly asked.

He smiled warmly at her. Byleth's mint locks were illuminated by the moonlight in front of him now. It looked as if she had a subtle halo around her. It was dark, but she still looked ethereal like this.

"I would be delighted to have you here." he said, letting her rest against his chest, careful her weight wouldn't presswhere he was weaker. She relied on the gentle hum of his heartbeat to lull her to sleep. The tendrils of slumber slowly crept on their skin. Dimitri gently brushed her hair back and forth, savoring each breath she took against his. Part of him still wondering if this was real, was he dreaming? They were never like this. Even in his old ones. His free hand searched for hers, palm up, inviting him to join her. Soon after he wrapped what fabric he could over them, he followed suit and drifted off.


	6. The Twilight of Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first morning in Almyra brings much hope. The new trio of soon-to-be rulers in Fodlan and Almyra spend quality time together on their first day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been too long since the last chapter, apologies! Things have been busy at work and I was hoping to release simultaneous chapters over the holidays.

Byleth awoke in a cold sweat, gripped by fear. She had been so sure it was real, and yet she couldn't remember her dream. Only a flash of yellow blinding her. Her mind in a haze, she suddenly remembered whose room she was in. Byleth instinctively grabbed to the now cold bundle of sheets beside her.

He was gone.

Was he in the bathroom or training outside? The whole room was silent save for the far away sound of rustling leaves down below. The sunlight streaming through the balcony gave her the impression dawn had already passed for quite sometime. She slowly stood up from the bed, the warm mahogany floor welcoming her bare feet. A small piece of parchment paper dropped clumsily to the floor near her.

_"I will be back soon." - Dimitri _

'I should get ready for the day', she thought. Dimitri must have gone out for breakfast already, leaving her to rest more. How thoughtful.

Byleth crossed the hallway, with no signs of life as well coming from Claude's room. She began drawing her bath immediately upon entering the room. While waiting, Byleth walked over to her balcony, gazing at the city landscape sprawled before her. Children were mostly playing on the streets, chasing each other with food in their hands. Market vendors had already set-up their stalls, making their first income for the day. In the morning, the air in Almyra was severely more humid compared to Fodlan. 

As she shifted her gaze to the palace gates, she spotted a flash of golden hair catch the rays of sunshine through the tall, albeit thin trees. He was riding alongside Claude. They seemed out of breath, striding towards the reception hall. Byleth decided to speed up her bath, thinking breakfast must be ready shortly. 

She removed her nightgown and neatly draped it over the chair. Walking back to the bath, she caught a glimpse of her reflection by the sink. Byleth hasn't been conscious of her self before. It seemed odd to mind how she looked now. Five years had passed and yet she looked the same, obviously time had been her friend thanks to Sothis.

Sothis.

As Byleth plunged her small body under the cold pool before her, she tried to concentrate in communicating with Sothis again, as she has since she saved her. Still nothing. So many things she wanted to ask her now that her guidance was needed more than ever. Fodlan was about to be rebuilt and they had no idea how to begin. 

Byleth worried for herself and her students, as the new founders of Fodlan. While she believed in the experience and capabilities of her students, they were all still young. Sighing deeply, she expeditiously scrubbed herself carefully, suddenly remembering how it felt to be held by Dimitri last night.

Her thoughts wandered back to the first time they met: the Attack in Remire Village. As a mercenary, while they were paid for their talent and discretion, they had also learned to pay close attention to how people behave. She had thought Dimitri was too good to be true, the charming prince of Faerghus. Once she learned more about him, both from the perspective of students and Dimitri himself, she felt an undeniable connection to the tormented boy leading the house she chose to teach. 

Byleth smiled sadly to herself. How naive was it for her to think a noble, nay, the crown prince would take an interest in her beyond learning battlefield lessons. And yet, his warmth and sincerity for other people captivates her completely. The trauma that Duscur gave Dimitri has been the sole hindrance for him to embrace his true potential. To her, his heart is truly soft and golden, still caring despite his furious attempts in punishing himself. Faerghus would have no better king than him. No. It was the whole of Fodlan now.

Claude was quick on his feet as soon as he arrived at the palace gates. He left Dimitri trailing slowly behind him, clearly contemplating on their morning activity, consuming a fresh berry he picked by the nearby tree. Passing by the kitchen, breakfast was finished just in time. Picking up an apple from the cornucopia, he sprinted up the stairs to Byleth's bedroom where he was eager to catch her still sleeping.

Arriving at the ornately decorated doors, he gently turned the knob and slid himself through the tiniest crack in between the doors. The bed was empty. Curiously, he walked around the room, glancing briefly outside noticing she wasn't in the balcony either. As he took another step forward, a flash of movement caught his eye in the bathroom. 

"CLAUDE!" she exclaimed, darting her eyes to the nearest cloth she could wrap herself with. He stood there slack-jawed and dropped the apple to the floor. Before he could see too much, Byleth was quick enough to hold her nightgown at least to her chest. He immediately spun around, blushing furiously through his tawny cheeks. 

"Sorry, Teach! I-I just wanted to wake you up for breakfast!" he apologized.

"What are you doing here?!" she furiously asked as she dressed herself with his back to her. 

"C'mon, it's almost noon! I didn't know you'd be naked when I walk in. Do you seriously think i'm that type of guy, Teach?" he retorted.

Byleth sighed as she straightened herself up. "You can turn around now." she ordered.

Once Claude turned around, she thankfully looked like the old Teach he was used to, only more alluring in Almyran wear. Her mint hair matched the colorful hues of yellow and orange halter gown gracefully hugging her lean body. 

"Again, I apologize for the intrusion. BUT! I didn't expect you to look this good in our native clothes, Teach. And I wouldn't be surprised if Hilda agreed with me on this." he whistled at her, "Did you rest well last night?"

"Yes. Very much so." she replied, hoping she wasn't blushing enough to notice. 

"That's good." Claude smiled warmly at her.

"Good." he almost said to himself rather than her. "Listen, Teach. I was hoping to talk to you...for a little while. Do you mind?"

Skeptical, she raised answered with raised eyebrows. "Sure. What is it?" she replied, draping the light silk coat over her bare shoulders. This fabric is too smooth to what i'm used to, she thought to herself.

Instead of answering, Claude began slowly pacing over to the balcony. Byleth took it as a cue to follow him. Now even more curious, she reached out to his shoulder, pulling him back a little. "What's wrong?" she asked, worried.

"Nothing. It's just...I haven't seen you in five years. That is, until Gronder Field and Derdriu. I knew you didn't die on us, all those years ago. And honestly? It felt like everyone was waiting for you to come back and win this war, not Rhea." he snickered. "But besides that, I haven't had the chance to talk to you again. Everyone in our class except me. That hurts my feelings, Teach." he jested.

She frowned at him. "I'm sorry. Our situation was complicated."

"I know, I know. I suppose...I also needed you around, too." he chuckled. "I guess we haven't really grown up, have we? Now that I think of it, it's almost embarrassing we've put the fate of Fodlan in the hands of children." he laughed to himself.

"All of you have become strong and capable leaders." she simply replied with a smirk.

"Yes. Even Edelgard." he sighed. "You've been holding out on me, my friend. I really wanted to tell you this yesterday, but Dimitri's still way too intense for his own good. Plus, I wanted you to rest. I know I have since i've been to Fodlan, somehow. Teach, no, Byleth, I..." he stuttered. Claude gazed at Byleth longingly, eyes shining against the Almyran sunlight. 

"I wanted to say thank you for all your hard work. It seems like our long struggle is finally coming to an end. Well, the way forward will certainly be rough. Right now, Fodlan is like a newborn. Frail and easily upset. If you and Dimitri don't create a new ruling system soon, the Empire and Kingdom will descend into chaos. Your coronation ceremonies will be the first few steps. Only then will Fodlan truly be a single, united land. I won't make promises but I hope to be by your side in such an important event. But i'm certain you'll do great. Now i've got to use my other bloodline to change my homeland for the better. If we don't change things in both Fodlan and the lands beyond, i'll never set eyes on the kind of world i've dreamed of creating." he explained.

"I'm no ruler..." she said. 

"You're the successor Rhea appointed, weren't you? Now you're the hero of Fodlan. All those weak people who have nothing to cling to but their goddess.They'll rely on you just like they used to rely on Rhea. The both of you will be leaders all who are struggling to survive in war-torn lands can look up to. And I..I want a ruler who can lay down a new set of values for the people. Values that don't exclude anyone for being different. I know it's hard to ask. But you and Dimitri are the only ones who can do it. When I first saw you wield the Sword of the Creator, I wanted to use your power to my advantage. I wanted to see you make my dream of a new world come true. But before long, I realized what I really wanted was to see the new world...with you by my side. I still feel that way, you know. I always will. That's why I had to leave." he continued.

"Claude..." she reached out to him. He took her hand firmly and pulled her closer, grappling her to a warm embrace with his other hand. He held her head against his shoulder, locking her in his arms.

"Thank you, for everything. I--." he whispered to her ear.

A loud creak disturbed them. Byleth gently broke away from Claude's grasp, wary of the unexpected visitor.

"Where did you go?" Dimitri called out loud as he entered the room. The shadows of their figures immediately caught his attention. Once he followed the shadows, he saw them then.

"Why are the both of you here?" he asked the two of them.

"Hey, sorry. Did we keep you waiting? I just went up here to wake her up." he scratched his head at him.

Dimitri stood still in the room. He looked completely surprised at first, but composed himself as soon as Claude talked to him. "Oh. Um...No. I simply wondered where you went off to." he quietly said. "Byleth, you look absolutely stunning. I've never seen you like this before." he professed to her with wide eyes.

"Oh. This was the only piece of clothing they gave me. I'm not used to wearing dresses after all, too." Byleth blushed.

"You really should try more these days, Teach." he complimented. "Come on. Now that we're all together, let's all have breakfast then." Claude announced as he walked past both of them, leading the way.

Dimitri and Byleth slowly trailed behind with Dimitri staring intently at Byleth. "I was certain you were resting in my quarters. Was that a dream?" he spoke low enough out of Claude's earshot.

"I took a bath. Claude and I...had a talk." she replied. Dimitri raised his eyebrows. "Where did you come from, anyway?" she followed.

"Claude accompanied me to an Almyran healer this morning. It was quite a trek, but my wounds have improved, somehow." Dimitri answered, rolling his shoulder back to affirm his statement.

"Careful now. He's only realigned your muscles and organs to improve the speed of healing. You still have to avoid going berserk for a little while." Claude called out over his shoulder.

"Of course. There's no need for such nonsense now, I hope. I am a changed man, after all. Thank you for your help, Claude." he warmly replied, gently brushing his hand over Byleth's as he spoke. He smiled at her, thinking how breathtaking she still is 7 years since they met. Back then, she hadn't noticed him at all. And now, she's looking back at him with hopefully the same amount of affection he has for her. However, for her to even take an interest in him was a blessing from the goddess herself. Still, he cannot help but see the darkness in her eyes, faint as they may seem. Was something wrong? 

"No worries." Claude smiled back at him, then even wider at Byleth. Dimitri followed his gaze and saw how different she looked then. He began wondering what they were talking about when he barged in.

Much different from the feast they were served yesterday, breakfast was simple but hearty. Byleth sat across Dimitri with Claude at the helm. For a good while, they were all quiet side from the noise of clinging utensils against each other. 

Then, Dimitri began making an awkward choking noise as he took his first few bites hastily. 

"What's wrong?" Byleth asked, concerned.

"Hey, I didn't put any poison there if that's what you two are thinking." Claude said defensively, raising both arms. 

Dimitri stared hard at his plate before him. He took two deep, jagged breaths before answering. "It's...the food before me...it's sweet. I-I can faintly taste it. I apologize, my mind must be playing tricks with me." 

"No, this is definitely sweet. So it did work, excellent." Claude smirked.

"What have you done?" Dimitri said in horror, gripping his fork so hard it was starting to bend.

"Whoa there. Relax. We have pretty good healers here in Almyra. You could say their healing magic works a little differently from how Fodlan does theirs. I was thinking of inviting Marianne to work with them actually. Anyway, I heard you had some, er, problems after Duscur. Then I wondered if it would work on you. You could say it was a little experiment of mine. I didn't want to tell you earlier about the other possible effects, just the easy ones. You know, just in case. But hey, it seems like it's beginning to work fine. You can finally appreciate how delicious Almyran cuisine is." Claude explained.

Dimitri stared in shock at Claude. "That's incredible, Claude." Byleth whispered.

"I...I believe i'm at a loss for words. Thank you." Dimitri exclaimed.

"You're welcome. Anything for...my friend?" he smirked at Dimitri, who raised his eyebrow at him. "I really did want to apologize for making your victory at Gronder harder to achieve. Besides, I think we all need a fresh new start with everything that's happened." he winked at Byleth.

"It was war. I won't put it against you. I believe more than anyone in this room, I have a full understanding of the horrors of it all." Dimitri professed, looking down hard at his plate.

A few moments of silence passed. He would never get used to how dark Dimitri can turn a conversation. He really hoped the would be King would let up sooner than later. 

"Well then! I hope I've started everyone's morning on a good note. We've got a lot of work to cover today. I still have plans for the both of you this evening. Shall we finish breakfast?" he announced. The two guests nodded and they proceeded with the rest of the meal in peace, Dimitri obviously pacing slower than usual. He slowly took his bites, careful to try everything on the table, preventing himself from having a complete meltdown in front of them. Byleth, however, noticed his silent struggle and made a mental note to talk about it with him when they were alone.

Right after breakfast, Claude immediately brought them to his private office. It took them most of the afternoon to gather the data both of them had, eventually agreeing on where to begin. Initially, Byleth had remained silent observing the two future rulers, preferring to see the bigger picture of the situation as the two discussed in detail. Servants had attempted to bring them tea, however even they were intimidated by the tension building in the room. Byleth had signaled them from the crack of the door to stay away for the meantime as they attempted to enter the room. 

She supposed she already expected the two to disagree on a few things. Their personalities were, after all, quite polar opposites. Dimitri had learned from her to explore different strategies to problems than face them simply charging head-on, and Claude had always opted to be one for more long-term, complex plans, moving chess pieces in a board, trusting the pieces to fall into place as to how he predicts them to move.

Whenever things became too heated, she would offer her stern suggestion to have them merge their ideas, and it would bring a smile from Dimitri. His silent thanks to her surely doesn't escape Claude's keen observation. Their first day had been incredibly mentally taxing that they had switched to wine by the evening, opting not to have dinner to finish more work. It had helped loosen their tongues, probably a tad too much. Dimitri had been the one to suggest calling it a night off when he noticed Claude beginning to doze off while he was making a point.

"Alright, alright! Sorry. We’ll pick up here tomorrow again. I was really hoping to bring you two out for some sightseeing, but we can probably postpone that until tomorrow. I probably had too much to drink as well." Claude chuckled.

As the three began making their way to their rooms, Claude kept rambling about their treasured memories in Garreg Mach, while Dimitri kept becoming flustered, pointing out repeatedly that he did not in fact rat them out to Manuela and Hanneman with their antics and they should be thankful instead. It made Byleth happy seeing the two of them teasing each other, all of a sudden without a care in the world.

Once they were near their quarters, Claude tripped gently against Byleth, prompting her to hold his body up. Their faces had come close to each other, merely inches apart. Byleth could smell the swirl of alcohol and grapes oozing from his mouth. His eyes fluttered, staring intensely at her, she couldn't break his gaze. "Teach, would you care to join--"

Dimitri cleared his throat. "Allow me to assist you back to your quarters, Claude. It seems you’ve had too much to drink, my friend.” he said, propping him up with one arm easily against him.

“I’m fine, I was just trying to tell something important to Teach—” he slurrily began but had the senses to stop himself once Dimitri did carry him on one of his shoulders. Once Claude hit the bed gently, he was lightly snoring already. Dimitri placed one gloved hand over his forehead and chuckled to himself, surprising Byleth.

"Look at us. The future leaders of the 'great' Fodlan and Almyra, and yet, somehow, we still appear like the children we used to be in the Academy. When I was young, I had always thought of my father, Rodrigue, and the others as these heroic figures before me capable of such great feats one hears from children's stories and towards the campfire between soldiers. I--" Dimitri paused as Claude began to stir.

"Forgive me. Shall we take this to my quarters?" he gestured as Byleth agreed, closing the door gently behind them. The hallway was dimly lit this time of the night. There were a few staff walking past the two of them, staring with the curiosity of most Almyrans seeing these two Fodlanese strangers. 

Once the coast was clear, they entered the dark quarters. As Dimitri looked for the oil lamp, he resumed speaking. "I was raised with the thought of the crown constantly in my future. It was...daunting, to put things mildly. The truth of the matter is, I realize now how different I was raised. Most of us in the academy were told to lead the country once we come of age. I cannot help but smile at the reality of where we are now, when it had seemed so far away, barely out of our reach during the war. Now, it appears life would be much simpler if we were children once again. When the thought of certification exams and assigned missions were the most we worried about." he smiled wanly as the fire lit half of his face.

Byleth couldn't resist holding his face with one hand, smiling warmly back at him. "Only you ever really worried about passing those exams, Dimitri." she jested.

With wide eyes, Dimitri laughed heartily at her. A sound she will always treasure hearing. "Ahaha. I suppose you are correct. Annette and Ingrid always had the confidence they would breeze through the exams." He proceeded to his gloves and kissed her knuckles gently.

He finds relief they are alone again. Not being able to resist his newfound recovery, Dimitri pulled her towards him and locked her in a passionate kiss. It wouldn't be their first time. However, for him it would be the first time he would taste her lips. The lips he had longed to know its taste for so long. Byleth sensed a different urgency in the way he kissed her, eager to gain access to her this time that made her moan softly against his tongue. He kept kissing her aggressively with his hands moving from her face to the back of her neck and the small of her back so he could kiss her deeper.

It was a dream to kiss her a few days ago, but now realizing how good it was to kiss her properly like this was heaven. Byleth pulled back for a second, catching her breath, almost heaving at the effort.

"Forgive me. I may have had too much to drink as well. It's not wise to drink on an empty stomach." Dimitri chided, flustered at himself.

"N-no, it's alright." she flushed, looking down at the wrinkles she creating along his thin shirt.

"It's simply because I-I've regained my sense of taste again and I--" he tried to explain, visibly blushing against the yellow tint brought by the flame. She placed a finger over his now pink lips, knowing full well what his next words were.

In the distance, they could hear the faint sound of drums and collective singing ringing from the city. The sound of celebration.

"Hmm. Do you hear them? It sounds interesting." Byleth hummed as she leaned closer to his chest.

"Oh, I-yes. Would you like to go down to the city?" he politely asked. Byleth raised an eyebrow, questioning how they could escape the palace gates at this time of night. "Claude showed me a path earlier. It would appear security around his palace isn't as strict as Garreg Mach even."

"That's even more interesting." Byleth chuckled. "But no, i'd like to stay with you for tonight. Again." she whispered to his already hot ears. 

He stared at her with wide eyes, smiling warmly once he absorbed her words. "Byleth, I never thought i'd see the--" he began as Byleth interrupted him abruptly with her lips. Dimitri talked too much and now was simply not the time.


End file.
